The decision on who will become the next coach of the Queensland Maroons is becoming clearer.
Both Wayne Bennett and Cameron Smith have opted out of being considered for the gig, despite previously being linked to the role following Paul Green's resignation on Tuesday evening.
Green has stood down to pursue an NRL job, with the Queensland Rugby League board looking for someone to take the job long-term.
Smith and Bennett's names were immediately floated, with Bennett coaching the Maroons to a shock 2020 series win, and Smith having previously indicated he would be interested in helping the squad.
Smith and Bennett's names have been mentioned alongside Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston, while Mal Meninga is another name linked with the job.
Smith told SEN Radio on Wednesday that he hasn't spoken to anyone at the QRL, and that the role wasn't on his radar.
"I haven't spoken to a single person at the QRL about this job, about the vacancy or my interest in it at all," Smith said.
"As a head coaching role it's not on my radar at the moment, it really isn't. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing at the moment post-playing career,"
"The commitments outside of that really need to fit in with what I'm doing in my life at the moment. Origin is only three games but there's a lot more to it than that.
"You need to be fully committed to the job and be prepared to put in a lot of hard work to give the players the very best opportunity of going out and playing well and winning."
Bennett has indicated he will return to Queensland at the end of his current stint with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with his contract expiring at the end of 2021.
He has been heavily linked as the first coach of a new expansion side in Brisbane, with the winning applicant likely to be announced by the NRL in October.
Bennett told The Sydney Morning Herald though that he has already told the QRL he simply doesn't want to do it.
“I’ve told them I won’t be doing it so everyone there knows that,” Bennett told the publication
“I just don’t want to do it ... I’ve got no plans [for next year].”
