Phil Gould has expressed his support for Wayne Bennett to reclaim the Kangaroos head coach position as the Australian Rugby League Commission considers a successor to Mal Meninga. According to current regulations, the national coach cannot also serve as coach of an NRL team; however, Bennett, who is the head coach of South Sydney, has been mentioned as a potential candidate alongside Cameron Smith and Kevin Walters.
Brad Fittler recently stepped back from the discussion regarding the role. Smith has indicated that he has not been contacted by the NRL regarding the coaching vacancy. During a segment on Nine’s 100% Footy, journalist Michael Chammas mentioned that the commission is set to hold a meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on potential changes to this coaching rule, though he suggested that such changes are "unlikely".
In response to inquiries on X regarding eligibility criteria, Gould expressed his frustration, maintaining that he sees no reason why Bennett shouldn’t coach again. He articulated on 100% Footy, "I can’t see why not. I really can’t see why not. I don’t know why it changed back in the old days; they’re the best coaches, they’re the ones with the best jobs, they’re the ones equipped to do it."
It’s noteworthy that Bennett last led the Kangaroos in 2005. Following the conclusion of the NRL season, Australia is expected to assemble a team to compete in the rugby league Ashes series against England.