Paul Green rejects Leeds Rhinos and is holding out for NRL return
Former North Queensland coach Paul Green has revealed he turned down the chance to coach Super League outfit the Leeds Rhinos because the timing was not right.
Green has been out of work since he stepped down as coach of Queensland’s State of Origin side. The Maroons lost the 2021 series against New South Wales 2-1 with Billy Slater since taking charge.
The 49-year-old is now waiting for the right opportunity to return to work and Leeds made him an offer. Green admits he was flattered to be a target for the Rhinos but the timing was wrong.
Paul Green holding out for the NRL
It looks as though Green is keen to coach in the NRL again and turned Leeds down. Not only that, his family are settled in Australia and he did not want to uproot them for west Yorkshire.
However he hopes an opportunity presents itself again in the future. Then he would jump at the chance.
“It wasn’t the right time with my family. My kids are settled in their schools. If the opportunity comes up again in five or six years’ time, I’d be keen to look at it,” Green said when quizzed about the offer from Leeds.
The Rhinos have since gone on to appoint Rohan Smith as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half-year contract. The 40-year-old joins Leeds from reigning Queensland Cup Champions Norths Devils.
Smith is the son of former Hull and Bradford coach Brian Smith and nephew of Hull KR boss Tony Smith. His experience has seen him work at the likes of New Zealand Warriors, London Broncos, Newcastle Knights and New Zealand on the international scene.
Barrett under pressure
As for Green he will now wait for an NRL opportunity to present itself. Canterbury coach Trent Barrett is the most under pressure right now.
The Bulldogs sit bottom of the ladder with just one win from their opening seven games. Michael Maguire is another who has been feeling the heat but the West Tigers have bounced back.
Back-to-back wins in huge games against Parramatta and South Sydney have eased the pressure. The new halves combination of Luke Brooks and Jackson Hastings has been a masterstroke for Maguire and may have saved his job.
Green certainly has the credentials to succeed in the NRL. He coached the Cowboys in 167 games and helped them win their maiden premiership in 2015.
Green stepped down from the position 10 games in to the 2020 campaign. Now he is waiting to make a return and the NRL is the place to be for him.