Rugby League Ashes plans shaken up as Mal Meninga leaves Australia role for Perth Bears gig

There’s been a huge change to the upcoming Rugby League Ashes series with Mal Meninga no longer the coach of Australia, with Shaun Wane’s England uncertain of who will lead out their opponents.

The Ashes are returning after 23 years to the delight of fans and whilst it wasn’t the major attraction, Mal Meninga being coach of the Kangaroos was certainly a draw.

He’s one of the all-time great players and he’s taken that into coaching with Meninga being one of the most recognisable names and faces to both rugby league fans and none rugby league fans.

That’s perhaps why Perth Bears have moved to make him their head coach when they enter the NRL in 2027 with the Western Australian audience, who are typically more used to AFL, likely to know who Meninga is.

With confirmation that he will move back into clubland, he’s also confirmed that he is stepping down from his role with Australia effective immediately meaning England will be facing a different head coach in the autumn.

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The promotional images for the Ashes tour and its launch have all involved Meniga but less than five months from the opening Test, it’s been confirmed he won’t lead Australia.

Speaking to NRL.com, Meninga confirmed: “The Kangaroos job is a full-time job. It is not just coaching the team at the end of the year, it comes with other responsibilities and commitments.

“I won’t be the Australian coach, but from a transition point of view I know that I will be part of all that.”

It’s currently unclear who will lead the Australians in October and November or whether Meninga’s coaching staff, which includes Roosters assistant Justin Holbrook, will follow him to Perth or take on a larger role with the Kangaroos.

Brad Fittler is a name who has been reported in recent days as the next potential head coach of the Kangaroos.

One thing that Meninga can take immense credit for is the state that he leaves the international game in a far better place with end-of-season internationals now integral to the calendar and an Ashes series set to go ahead, and he spoke on those as he argued that the international game can “match Origin”, something very few Australians would be willing to concede.

He argued: “I have always said that the international game can match Origin, when you talk about followers and bums on seats and sponsorship, we have got to think that it has got that future.”

As for the Ashes, he said: “It is a special time of year, and it is great where the game is at. I don’t know where ticket sales are at for Wembley but collectively it could be the biggest viewership in the history of the Ashes.”