South Sydney Rabbitohs head coach Wayne Bennett is reportedly the front-runner to land the Australian Kangaroos job.
The job became vacant earlier this year when Mal Meninga was appointed as the first head coach of the Perth Bears.
That club will begin to recruit players from November 1 for their inaugural campaign in 2027. Australia are set to be in England at the same time as playing the Ashes.
With a Rugby League World Cup to follow in 2026, it was believed the Kangaroos and Australian Rugby League Commission wanted to appoint a head coach not affiliated with a club, who would take over for at least the next two years.
But now News Corp is reporting Bennett is the lead contender to take over, with the Rabbitohs more than happy for him to split his duties in the off-season and head to England with the Kangaroos.
"There's a commission meeting and I expect Bennett to get the job but I don't say it with any great certainty given the way this has played out," Journalist Andrew Webster said on Fox Sports.
Bennett is joined in contention for the gig by Kevin Walters, who has previously coached the Maroons at State of Origin level and Brisbane Broncos at club level, and Cameron Smith, a former Kangaroos captain but with no head coaching experience at the top level.
Walters was also in the mix for the Bears job, but missed out to Meninga.
Brad Fittler was previously considered the lead contender for the role, but pulled out recently, claiming he didn't have enough time to do the job justice.
