Stacey is the perfect choice for the Kiwis gig.
All this talk about he hasn't got the resume or experience as a coach to take us to the next level is nonsense.
These guys at this level practically coach themselves. You need a figure in their that players respect and want to play for. Jones fits that bill to the tee.
I don't know one player that wouldn't deliver and try their guts out for Jones. The technical stuff / tweaks for the Kiwi squad will come from the collective coaching team. The most important thing at this level is mana / passion. I can see so much success with our quality squad and Jones at the helm.
Wayne also when questioned by media whether he is interesting the Kiwis gig. His reply "They know where to find me" lol yeah that didn't bode well with me despite his GOAT resume as a coach. Attitude / Mana / Wanting to see the grass roots of NZ rugby league stronger.
Jones is the guy.
I'm not convinced. Love the man, absolute legend of a player and person, but he had 11 games at the helm of the Warriors at the end of '22 and while it was obviously at the tail end of the covid exile, the team went backwards on the table only beating the Tigers and Dogs over that period.
I agree rep coaching is very different to clubland and if it had been between Stacey and say, Cayless, I'd have no complaints. But picking him in the hope he
might be a better rep coach than a club one, over Bennett who's
proven at both? That's the nonsense part there.
And that's not a criticism of Stacey, I hope he proves me utterly wrong and kills it. But I have zero faith in the NZRL right now. An absolute pack of amateurs.