Outgoing Queensland Rugby League chief Ben Ikin has revealed all signs are pointing towards current State of Origin coach Billy Slater staying in the role for at least another year.
Slater dropped a bombshell on the rugby league landscape last week by declaring he wouldn't sign another contract with the QRL, but would continue in the Origin role on a handshake agreement.
It led to plenty of speculation that Slater was in the running for the Melbourne Storm job, which will become available once Craig Bellamy steps down.
Bellamy has given no indication he won't coach on next year, but his future has been a constant speculative point around the game for the last five seasons.
Slater, a former champion fullback at the Storm who is going for his fourth series in five years as coach of Queensland tomorrow night, could have a crack at NRL coaching, although has media and personal commitments in Queensland which may block him from taking the role.
Ikin, speaking to Wide World of Sports, said the furore around his handshake agreement comment wasn't unexpected.
“It certainly didn't catch us off-guard,” Ikin told the publication.
“I've been in regular conversations with Billy since the start of the year and in his mind now, he's found his groove as Maroons coach and he loves the job.
“At this stage, I would say he's super keen to do it next year - but he understands how quickly the game can change and on that basis, he wants to take his future as Maroons coach year-by-year and it's nothing more complicated than that.
“The process will be he coaches out the series, we sit down and review the series together, we give our feedback and he gives his. Then, we jointly make a decision.
“At this stage, with one game to go, it all feels very positive.”
Ikin wasn't ready to say Slater will coach Queensland long-term though, with the Storm job likely to appeal to Slater.
“That will be for Billy to decide but what I will say is, we would love to keep him around as Origin coach for as long as he wants to do it,” he said.
“He's highly capable and deeply passionate about the role, but I know if he decided he wanted to be an NRL head coach, he'd do that very well too.
“I get the sense that the Melbourne Storm feel the same way and as Craig Bellamy decides how much longer he wants to be coaching, if I was on that Melbourne Storm board, I'd absolutely be having Billy Slater at the top of my list.
“They would be mighty big shoes to fill [at the Storm], but I'm more than confident that Billy would be able to do it.”
Ikin has already confirmed he will leave QRL later this year, with the current football boss in the state leaving the sport.
