Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy and Brian Smith drafted by rivals to coach against Australia in Four Nations
THEY are the Kangaroo poachers out to plot Australia's Four Nations downfall. New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has recruited modern-day coaching greats Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy for the Kiwis' Four Nations campaign.
And England coach Steve McNamara has brought in the Sydney Roosters' Brian Smith as an assistant coach.
Bennett, Bellamy and Smith have contested 16 NRL grand finals between them.
So Australia, beware.
However, the Kangaroos will have a potent coaching combination of their own in four-time premiership winner Tim Sheens and his Canberra assistant, David Furner, who is one of the game's finest young mentors.
"There will be plenty of coaching expertise in this tournament," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said.
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Bennett and Kearney teamed up to guide New Zealand to the 2008 World Cup.
"I will be speaking with Wayne during our campaign," Kearney told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. "I have kept in touch with him. I spoke to him during the season and even more during the finals [about New Zealand].
"I will certainly be looking to him for advice during our Four Nations campaign.
"Given all our games are in New Zealand, he may not physically come across, given he would want to spend time with his family. But he is the type of person you can ring for advice and opinion.
"I'll be speaking with Craig Bellamy, too. I will be looking to Craig to help me out as well.
"We are all the same. We all want to make ourselves better coaches. I don't have a problem asking Wayne and Craig for advice."
Kearney himself is ready to become an elite coach. After working under Bellamy at Melbourne for four years, he has been appointed head coach of Parramatta.
Asked about McNamara and Smith, Carr said: "When Brian left Parramatta, he went across to Bradford, where Steve was starting out his coaching career.
"Brian was a bit of a mentor to Steve. They have stayed friends. Steve said he will use Brian in the Four Nations.
"It is one of the things coaches do. Steve [Kearney] has a very good relationship with Craig and Wayne. I don't have an issue if Steve wants to seek their help. Wayne and Craig are decent blokes."
New Zealand will have a warm-up match against Samoa on Saturday night in Auckland. On the same night, England will prepare for the Four Nations by playing the New Zealand Maori.
England and New Zealand kick off the tournament in Wellington on Saturday week.
Asked if his side could win the Four Nations, Kearney said: "I am confident that if we all commit, we will give ourselves a chance."
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