McClennan wants Warriors coach support

Brian McClennan wants assistance from Stephen Kearney at the New Zealand Warriors next year - if he can hold onto his job.

First-year head coach McClennan oversaw a sixth straight loss in Sunday's 18-16 loss to Penrith and admitted his neck was on the chopping block with two matches to play this NRL season.

Some newspaper reports on Monday suggest Warriors management has already decided on a change of coach for 2013 but McClennan said he had heard nothing from club officials.

Instead, he was to continue talks this week with Kiwis mentor Kearney as part of an extensive season review.

McClennan told Warriors officials at the start of the review last month that he wanted another assistant under him alongside Tony Iro. His proposal coincided with Kearney's resignation from the under-performing Parramatta.

"Most clubs operate with a head coach and two assistants and I said that's the way to go," McClennan told LiveSport radio on Monday.

"We wanted to look at the best candidates we could and he (Kearney) fits that category."

McClennan said Kearney was carefully considering his options, which reportedly include returning to an assistant role at the Melbourne Storm.

Relocating his wife and two children again was playing a big part in Kearney's decision, McClennan said.

"And Steve's got a lot of questions to ask us. He'll make a decision after he's heard what the club has to offer.

"We're talking about the club's plans for the future, the resources that are coming into the club and what the structures are going to be."

McClennan was excited about the prospect of staying at the Warriors.

He believed investment plans in coaching and fresh funds for training equipment would put them on a level playing field with consistent top clubs such as Melbourne, Canterbury and Brisbane.

The Warriors' penultimate game is against St George Illawarra in Wollongong on Saturday.

NZN