After being named the head coach of the NRL's newest expansion team, Mal Meninga has confirmed a candidate has been identified as a possible option to work under him on Perth Bears' coaching staff.
Previously linked with the head coaching job at St Helens RLFC, Penrith Panthers assistant and Samoa head coach Ben Gardiner has emerged as a possible candidate to work under Meninga in recent days.
Meninga has now confirmed this.
Taking over as the Panthers' lead assistant following the departures of Andrew Webster and Cameron Ciraldo, Gardiner has been a part of two premierships at the club, as well as taking Samoa to another level.
โIf you want to build the club from its foundations up, if you want it to be sustainable over a long period of timeโฆ you've gotta have the right people in the right spots,โ Meninga said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
โHe is one of them, but we'll have a conversation with others for sure.
โHe has been mentioned internallyโฆ we're obviously doing our due diligence at the momentโฆ I don't know how that got leaked out.
โI've said often in the last week that it's around getting the right people in the right positions. I think that's really crucial.
โHe's currently working in the Penrith system, so that's a big bonus as well. He's been doing that for three years, so he's been part of two premiershipsโฆ that's not lost on us and he's highly qualified.โ
The confirmation of interest in Gardiner as an assistant coach comes as Meninga discussed the type of pitch he will make to players in an attempt to lure them to Western Australia.
The Perth Bears will be able to start talking and recruiting players from November 1.
โIn the back of your mind, you would like to get everyone,โ Meninga said onย SENQ Breakfast.
โYou would love to obviously be in a conversation with them and communicate with them and hopefully they see some value in going over to Perth. The thing about Perth is, what's our sell proposition?
"If I go talk to someone like Kalyn who was born over there, how do I convince him to uproot himself and his family and move over there and participate in the pioneering of the game?
โIt's a great place to live obviously, it's sunshine, beaches all those sorts of things. It's a great family community over there but what is the value proposition? Is it the security of distance?
"So, all those sorts of things will need to be sorted out first before we can actually start talking to players. But I'd love to talk to all but at this stage, we're restricted by the salary cap."
