James Maloney has featured in his last-ever rugby league game after his side FC Lezignan XIII fell to defeat in the semi-finals of the Elite One Championship.
A two-time NRL premiership winner with the Roosters and Sharks, Maloney retired from the NRL in 2019 after 249 games across 11 seasons. He then moved to the Super League for the Catalans Dragons (2020-21) before linking up with FC Lezignan XIII.
Featuring in the Elite One Championship for the past two years, he played his last game alongside former NRL players Corey Norman and James Segeyaro.
Straight after his final game, Maloney will return back to Australia. According to French publication Treize Mondial, Maloney hopes to find a place on an NRL staff.
Alluding to this as his next goal, Maloney's experience will be invaluable to any NRL club.
Despite no reports on what club may be interested in the playmaker, Maloney has built strong connections with a range of coaches and clubs across his NRL career.
Growing up in New South Wales, the likeliest options for Maloney include the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks and Penrith Panthers.
Playing at these clubs, he will already have pre-existent relationships with some players and coaches.
It’s one thing to be a good player – it’s another to be a good coach.
Does anyone know if he has taken any coaching courses, or whether he just hopes to wing it?
The problem with coming back to a club where you know they players is that a) they may have moved on from where they were at in years gone by, and b) they may not give the new coach the same respect that they would give a guy coming in from outside. ie they have drunk with him, and know his faults.