Cameron Smith has pushed Billy Slater’s name further to the top of the pile as the next Queensland coach.

The QRL on Tuesday announced Paul Green would not build on his one campaign in charge of the Maroons.

Following the Maroons’ thumping series loss, the QRL cited a need for long-term commitment that couldn’t be promised by Green given his ambition to coach in the NRL again. 

While former coaches Mal Meninga and Wayne Bennett have been floated as options, excitement has built around the possibility of recently retired Smith, Slater or Johnathan Thurston stepping into the role.

Thurston was an assistant to Green this year while Slater was in the mix to nab the top job before it went to Green.

Former long-time Queensland captain Smith on Wednesday said he had “not spoken to a single person at the QRL” about the position and was wary of the enormity of the task.

“There’s a lot more work in it than people think, and anyone can throw their hand up and say, ‘I’ve played for Queensland, I can go and coach them’, well it’s not true,” he told SEN Radio.

“You need to be fully committed to the job, and you need to prepared to put in a lot of hard work to give the players the very best opportunity to go out and have the best chance of winning.”

He said Slater, with the help of Thurston and “Wayne or Mal as a mentor”, would be a positive move in a vote of support for the man that is already reportedly at the top of the QRL’s shortlist.

“I’ve spoken to him at the very beginning of this year about his interest in coaching Queensland, and he said if it comes up he’d certainly consider it,” Smith said.

“He’s very passionate about the Queensland side, he’s a selector, he’s heavily involved already.

“I could certainly see him in there as head coach, because he’s a guy who has always wanted to make a difference.

“He always wanted to make a difference as a player, and I can see those same attributes as a coach.”

Slater also has the support of former teammate and newly added QRL independent director Cooper Cronk.

Cronk believes Slater has the “presence” to lift the side like Meninga did during their eight straight series wins.

Green endured an extraordinary time in the chair, faced with COVID-19 bubble breaches, last-minute injuries and health scares as well as Ronaldo Mulitalo’s game-day withdrawal over eligibility concerns.

The Maroons were spanked 56-6 and 26-0 to meekly surrender the series pinched from NSW by a plucky side a year earlier.

Now free to pursue a return to the NRL, Green could be in the mix immediately if the under-pressure Michael Maguire is moved on by Wests Tigers.

AAP

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