Michael Maguire looks poised to take the reins of the New South Wales men’s State of Origin team after Brad Fittler’s exit.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the NSWRL has offered Maguire the job, while other outlets say he has informed his NRL club Canberra he will accept the Blues role.
Fittler’s six-year tenure in charge of the Blues ended last month when he turned down an offer from the NSWRL which would have seen him become a part-time employee.
It’s unclear what Maguire’s contract with the NSWRL will look like.
Maguire, 49, coached South Sydney to the 2014 NRL premiership. He also coached the Wests Tigers for three years, and is currently head coach of New Zealand’s Test team.
He joined Ricky Stuart’s Raiders staff as an assistant coach but looks poised to give that up to focus entirely on the Blues.
It’s unclear whether he will continue coaching the Kiwis. New Zealand is about to play the Pacific Championships against Australia and Samoa.
Maguire beat out the likes of Laurie Daley and John Cartwright to the Blues role. Storm coach Craig Bellamy and Canberra’s Stuart had been floated as options, but would have had to juggle the commitments with their NRL clubs.
