Rugby league great Cameron Smith believes the Canterbury Bulldogs should offer interim coach Mick Potter the club’s full-time gig.
Potter, 58, took over at Belmore following Trent Barrett’s exit, leading the side to four wins in his first 10 games in charge after the Bulldogs were 2-8 earlier in the year.
With the side improving under his watch, Smith believes Canterbury GM of Football Phil Gould should be moving to lock Potter in for at least the 2023 season.
“If he has got improvement out of this football side, why not give him another 12 months?,” Smith asked on SEN 1170 The Captain’s Run.
“They’ve only been on the rise, haven’t they? They get better each week they play, I know that doesn’t translate to wins every week.
“But as long as you’re seeing improvement, that’s what you want, give him another 12 months.
“If he’s doing some great things with the players and the players are happy, give him another 12 months.
“See how it goes, you just don’t know, halfway through next year if they’re sitting in the top eight again, then he could get extended again.
“What do you think, should he be the coach next year?”
While the Bulldogs have been heavily linked to Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo, SEN’s Denan Kemp doesn’t think it’ll hurt the club if they sign Potter short-term with their sights on Ciraldo in future years.
“It’s interesting because I think they should’ve already extended him but this Ciraldo chatter doesn’t go away,” Kemp said.
“But if you’re the Bulldogs surely you run the gauntlet, I doubt Ciraldo is going to going to sign with another club in the next six months.
“Extend Potter for 12 months to just see how he goes, then in the first 10 rounds if they see no improvement, you can sign Ciraldo.”
Smith believes Potter is an even more attractive option as it’s his “gut feel” that Ciraldo will remain at the foot of the mountains until the time is right which may not be next year.
“I don’t think Ciraldo is going to leave,” Smith said.
“I just don’t think he’s going to leave Penrith.
“Who knows? But that’s my gut feeling, he’s only 37 or 38.
“He’s got time on his side, I don’t think he should be in any rush to take on a footy side.”
Following their loss to the Warriors, Canterbury face local rivals Parramatta at CommBank Stadium next Saturday afternoon.