Queensland Maroons State of Origin coach Billy Slater has knocked back an approach by the St George Illawarra Dragons to be considered as the embattled club's next head coach.
The Dragons, who have played finals just twice in the last decade since Wayne Bennett's departure at the end of 2011, and have struggled enormously during Anthony Griffin's two and a bit year tenure at the club, are on the lookout to go in a new direction come 2024.
Griffin has been told that he will need to reapply for his job if he wants to continue beyond the end of 2023, although that in itself could come under fire following captain Ben Hunt's suggestion that he will consider his future with the club if Griffin is let go.
The coach, who had stints at the Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers before starting at the Dragons, has failed to get the team to fire during his time at the Red V, despite the club's board taking up an option in their favour before a ball had been kicked in 2022 to ensure he would remain in charge for 2023.
It has been widely reported that the Dragons have already looked at a trio of former players in current assistant coaches Jason Ryles (Sydney Roosters), Ben Hornby (South Sydney Rabbitohs) and Dean Young (North Queensland Cowboys) as the front-runners to take over for 2024.
They have been joined on the list by ex-Manly Sea Eagles boss Des Hasler and Shane Flanagan, who has spent two stints at the club since his departure from the Cronulla Sharks - one as an assistant coach, and the other as a recruitment consultant.
But Slater's name was raised by News Corp in the last 24 hours as another option that the Dragons have investigated.
Maybe unsurprisingly, Slater's camp have responded negatively to the approach.
The former champion Melbourne Storm fullback has been earmarked as a likely option for the Melbourne Storm when Craig Bellamy hangs up the clipboard.
Bellamy is likely to do so at the end of this season, although could coach for the next three seasons, with his contract allowing him to re-evaluate whether he wants to remain the head coach or not on a year-by-year basis.
All indications are that Bellamy's last year in charge is already underway, however, the club remain hopeful of changing his mind and convincing him to go again in 2024.
Regardless, chairman Matt Tripp has previously mentioned Slater's name as a red-hot favourite to take over the club. Ryles, who spent time in the system under Bellamy, is another name that has been mentioned, while Brett White, who was credited with setting the defence at the Canberra Raiders for the 2019 grand final run, but has since moved to the Gold Coast Titans, is another name on the list.
The Dragons chasing the likes of Slater, Hasler and Flanagan however is hardly a surprise, given the reputation of the club in offering jobs for ex-players - something all of Ryles, Hornby and Young are.
