Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess has told other media outlets his thoughts on reports linking assistant coach Steve McNamara to Hull FC.
A statement from Hull FC earlier in the week confirmed that head coach John Cartwright would depart the club at the end of the season, cutting short his contract by one year.
Shortly after that statement came reports linking Wire assistant Steve McNamara to the role and Sam Burgess has now had his say on the matter, with Love Rugby League reporting what the Wire coach had to say.
“With Steve, I think there is always going to be speculation,” Burgess said per the report.
“Every head coach role on both sides of the world, his name is going to be thrown around.”
McNamara’s standing in rugby league is very significant given just how long he’s been at the top level, as evidenced by the fact he coached Sam Burgess when Burgess was at Bradford Bulls.
His long association with Catalans Dragons is perhaps what McNamara is best remembered for but he’s also coached England, and worked in Australia previously.
Warrington Wolves’ boss reacts to Steve McNamara reports
As such, it’s no surprise to see him linked to the upcoming Hull FC head coach role, particularly when he is currently working as an assistant and when he is Hull-born.
However, in Burgess’ eyes, McNamara remains fully committed to Wire: “It’s strong speculation at the moment, but one thing I am sure of is Steve’s commitment to the group. He’s brought so much to the group and he’s fully committed, whatever is going on around him.
“Whenever anything changes, I’ll be the first to know, but for now it’s business as usual.”
Burgess would also confirm that McNamara is contracted for 2027 though he noted that given McNamara’s ‘standing in the game’, the 54-year-old still holds head coach ambitions.
“He’s under no illusion that he wants to be a head coach and he sees himself as a head coach,” Burgess said.
“There has been a bit of noise around it the last few days, but we’ve dealt really well with it internally and the boys have made a couple of jokes about it!”
Super League Rivals Round madness, broken video referee system and Challenge Cup predictions – Click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show
