The Roosters have reportedly informed assistant Jason Ryles he can leave his contract early following Anthony Griffin’s Dragons exit.
Dragons bosses made the long-awaited decision to part ways with Griffin on Tuesday and according to The Daily Telegraph, the club will ramp up negotiations with Ryles.
The 44-year-old is the favourite to become the Dragons’ head coach in 2024, potentially leaving the Tricolours despite having a year left on his contract under Trent Robinson.
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“There’s a couple of key factors as to why this has sped up in regards to Jason Ryles being in that box seat,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio said on NRL360 on Tuesday night.
“There will be several parameters surrounding why Jason will take this role and it is about having support both at a recruitment and a management of football level.
“Names like Nathan Brown have been connected back around as a recruitment tool supporting Jason. Shane Richardson, former South head of football, has been having conversations with the club.
“These are the building blocks that can help turn St George Illawarra around.
“The second part of that is the Sydney Roosters have actually ticked off approval for Jason to start having these negotiations.
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“With a cavaet, there still may need to be compensation required to be paid for the remainder of what Jason’s contract stands at the Roosters.
“That would be paid by the Dragons… they (the Roosters) understand, there’s only 17 head coaches jobs in the game.”
Now it has been revealed the length of any contract could be a sticking point, with Ryles’ agent George Mimis angling for a five-year deal.
Any potential contract could also have triggers in it to extend the deal depending on success with a payout clause already in place should the Dragons’ new coach have to leave the role.
Interestingly, the Roosters and Dragons face off in Round 12 so any deal would be announced after the two clubs go head to head.
As it stands Ryles is the favourite, with Ben Hornby and Dean young also potential candidates.
The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley believes the Red V club should take time to work out their best course of action moving forward.
He also revealed former coach Paul McGregor, who was also sacked by the Dragons in 2020, believes a rookie coach can transform the club — with the right support system.
“No rookie coach should get five years,” NRL360 host Braith Anasta said.
“Everyone pretty much has Jason Ryles in the job… but if they have left it this late they should have made the call in the summer, you don’t want 12 rounds,” Crawley said.
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“But now that they have left it this late, surely you go through the process and you interview roles and also interview Dean Young and Jason Ryles.
“I had a conversation today with Paul McGregor, one of the things ‘Mary’ spoke about is he believes a rookie coach can do the job providing they allow him to surround himself with senior people.
“When Mary was at the Dragons he made the second round of the finals in 2018, 15 months later he wasn’t even allowed to pick his own team. He had no authority of recruitment or retention.
“What he is saying is if you are going to bring someone in you pick and stick, let them see out the contract but also surround them with people they trust.”
Rugby league legend Gorden Tallis also believes a rookie coach can turn the club around if they make the squad their own and make the tough calls.
“It has got to be his team because look what happened to Hook, it has got to be his way or the highway,” Tallis said.
“And then the players have to be accountable too, they didn’t turn up. They had the barbecue-gate, they didn’t turn up to their presentation and then they didn’t turn up this year.
“When a teammate is playing 300 games you would think you’d put a better effort in.”