“Alan Jones had a crack at it way back. It hasn’t been done with success. Many league coaches have come over to rugby and been successful there – maybe not as head coaches, although I think they could.
“To master that challenge, especially being an Aussie kid where league is such a big sport and I grew up playing the sport, I think it would be a huge challenge. I’ve been back here now for maybe six weeks or so, getting my feet on the ground and deciding what I’m gonna get up to next.”
One of the biggest challenges for Newcastle’s next clipboard holder will be how to extract the best value from the club’s $13 million, 10-year investment in Dylan Brown. The Kiwi international will make his final appearance for Parramatta in Sunday’s clash against his next employer, Newcastle, at CommBank Stadium.
Cheika conceded that some NRL clubs would view him as a risk, given most of his experience is in rugby union. However, he felt he could connect with league players if given a chance.
“I’d push them to whatever’s required to win, because that’s the objective,” he said during the week.
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“You’re gonna be talking to a dressing room of 30-odd people and there could be seven or eight different personality traits in there. You’ve got to try and code your messages so that they all understand in the different ways people think.
“Sometimes you’ve got to go hard and sometimes you’ve got to give a cuddle – but at all costs, they are your team.”
Johns’ brother, former Newcastle playmaker Matthew, has publicly stated that Cheika and Roosters NRLW coach John Strange both warranted an interview for the post.
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