Kearney Out? What Now for the Kiwis?

So the Kiwis' Rugby League World Cup campaign comes to a disappointing end with the Kiwis completely and utterly dominated by their opponents on the day.

This despite the Kiwis having the best prop - Jared Waerea-Hargreaves - in rugby league and the International Rugby League player of the year, Sonny Bill Williams, amongst a bevy of young talent, e.g. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Johnson, etc.

Yes, the Kiwis, the reigning world champions for the last 5 years under Stephen Kearney who lead them there in 2008 with the help of Wayne Bennett, faced the Kangaroos who have consistently been the best side in international rugby league.

But the lack of cutting edge, lack of nerve and passion in the performance must raise questions of whether Stephen Kearney remains the right person to be in charge of the Kiwis side.

Yes, he led us to a shock World Cup triumph in 2008, as well as a Four Nations title in 2010, and has definitely made the Kiwis more competitive than ever before, while helping to nurture the growing talent of Kiwi rugby league that is now based in Australia.

But, as an all-round coach, there remains big question marks over Stephen Kearney's abilities to really turn a side into a world beating team.

Indeed, his farcical time as head coach of the Parramatta Eels while still being Kiwis head coach, fueled the fire that Kearney isn't quite the coach he is made out to be - and that it was really Wayne Bennett who was the real mastermind behind that memorable triumph at Suncorp Stadium 5 years ago.

Ok, one could say that Queensland coach, Mal Meninga is in a similar boat being a coach of a team that only meets and plays at most thrice a year and that he is blessed to have some great talent in the side that he's only there to get the boys together and remind them who they're playing for.

However, New Zealand's rugby league players have always needed some guidance from the top - especially the younger ones and just instilling mana and national pride into players can only go so far in improving performance. The Kiwis still remain a side fuelled only by passion and talent with lack of tactical nous - as was evident in the Semifinal and Final.

To be fair to Kearney, he has stayed in the job for some time - with only Tim Sheens having been in the national coach role for the same time. 5 years is a long time in international sport particularly one that has a World Cup every 4-5 years and even despite being thumped by the Kangaroos so many times and the question marks over the Eels role, NZRL has been incredibly faithful to Kearney given his history of winning the World Cup and Four Nations.

Kearney has been no doubt our most successful Kiwis coach in recent times, but even the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, and closer to home, Sir Graham Henry and Ricki Herbert knew when the time was right to step down and perhaps it is time for the Kiwis to pursue a new direction as they plan to topple the Kangaroos at the next World Cup in 4 years time.

On the other hand, who else is there who could coach the Kiwis? Bluey McClennan? Perhaps but it might be a step backwards, along with Gary Kemble. Ivan Cleary could be an outsider although his relationship with the Polynesians in the Warriors towards the end of 2011 remains under a dark cloud.

Whatever happens next, thanks Kearney for all the memories if this is indeed goodbye.