The candidate Parker would like to see replace Slater

With Queensland on the lookout for its next head coach following Billy Slater’s departure, Corey Parker has named the candidate he would like to see take up the role.

After five series in charge resulting in three series wins, the legendary fullback confirmed on Friday that he would leave his post as head coach of the Maroons.

Following Slater’s bombshell announcement, the QRL are currently formulating their list of candidates for the vacant position.

At the moment, those candidates include Queensland assistant coaches Ben Te’o and Matt Ballin alongside Melbourne Storm legend Cameron Smith.

Out of those three, Smith has emerged as the favourite, having missed out on the Kangaroos job last year.

Since then, the 43-year-old has been working alongside Michael Maguire at the Broncos in a coaching and leadership capacity.

But the Broncos legend doesn’t think the NRL games record holder will take up the role despite being endorsed by Wayne Bennett and Slater.

“(Cam) Smith, he's been tossed up, right?” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.

“I just don't know…like he's been part of it. Is it something he's stood away from?

“I don't think it'd be Smith.”

Instead, the 19-time representative for the Maroons believes at this current moment, Te’o is the right man for the job.

“If I'm thinking straight off the cuff now,” he continued.

“Ben Te'o's been part of it; he's an aspiring coach, Darius Boyd is an aspiring coach.

“But if I had to put someone right there right now, I think I'd be going with Ben Te’o.”

Te'o has been part of the Maroons' set-up since May after leaving his assistant coaching role with the Broncos following reports of a dispute between himself and head coach Michael Maguire.

Queensland lost this year’s State of Origin series 2-1 and will look to reclaim the shield in 2027.

Next year’s series will see matches played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Accor Stadium in Sydney and Auckland’s Eden Park for the first time in State of Origin history.