Australia’s rugby league Ashes issues laid bare as legend reveals lack of prep

Australia Rugby League have work to do before they come over to England this Autumn, with no coach announced and no facilities booked yet for when they get over here.

The Kangaroos are set to make their first trip to England for an Ashes tour since 2001, as they play a three-match test series against England. 

The series kicks off at the national stadium, as Wembley hosts the first test. They then travel to Merseyside, where Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium hosts it’s first ever rugby league match. The series culminates in Leeds as AMT Headingley will be the venue for the final test. 

However, business will have to pick up as currently, Australia have nothing planned for when they arrive.

The main issue currently face them is the fact that they will be coming over with no head coach. 

When former boss Mal Meninga agreed terms with NRL club Perth Bears, it meant leaving his role on the international stage. 

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), are the ones tasked with bringing in a new person at the helm, however, reports have hit a roadblock, with news being minimal about who is going to be in charge come October.

Brad Fittler, who was thought to be a leading candidate, has this week pulled out of the running, saying he thought long and hard about it, before eventually turning them down.

“No fields and no hotels booked” – Rugby League legend reveals Australia’s Ashes issues

Speaking on 2GB Wide World Of Sports with Adam Hawse, Fittler said he didn’t think he would be the right fit with his current workload.

He said: “I think just in the situation I’m in at the moment, my commitments to Channel Nine  – I work for the NRL, I’m really enjoying that.”

He added: “What an incredible opportunity, but I didn’t think I could do it justice. That’s why I didn’t want to commit to it.”

The leading candidates at this stage are now thought to be former Melbourne Storm hooker Cameron Smith and former Queensland Head Coach Kevin Walters.

Fittler also spoke out about the situation on another podcast this week – Six Tackles with Gus. The 53-year-old was standing in for Phil ‘Gus’ Gould, and was asked if he knew about the plans that Australia had to get plans in motion for the month-long tour.

“It’s been left late,” he said. “There’s no fields booked, there’s no hotels booked. There’s no staff. So, it has got to happen. Then there’s eligibility issues going on. There’s a fair bit to do.” 

Fittler did, however, heap praise on the English fans, and described how one of his favourite moments as a player happened at Wembley Stadium. 

“There are more people that are going to watch these three games than any Kangaroo tour ever before.” He said. “So, it will be awesome.” 

Fittler continued: “To play at Wembley, I played there 25 years ago. Standing there doing the national anthems is possibly my best memory in rugby league. The ground is incredible. It just has this feeling, this mystique, this aura.”