By PETER JESSUP
Junior Kiwi coach and Kiwi selector Gary Kemble is the latest to throw his hat in the ring for the Warriors coaching position - but the appointment remains on hold as Tainui contemplate a buyout.
Tribal representatives and the would-be buyers met separately yesterday, with an offer on the table but no movement to settle a deal.
Pressure is likely to build to settle ownership and to get a functional board up and running by the end of this week, given the club's empty bank account, the need to pay staff and players and continue planning for a new season.
In the meantime, job applications, including Kemble's, are stockpiling. Captain John Simon is also in limbo, keen for a new two-year deal, with the current management having originally offered one year and now hamstrung in terms of changing that.
Kemble was the Warriors' reserve-grade coach in Super League year, 1997, taking the second-stringers to the grand final in a nine-team competition (Adelaide had no reserve grade). They won eight of their 16 round-robin games and three preliminary finals games before losing the grand final 12-40 to Canterbury.
Kemble has also coached the NZ Residents XIII at the Oceania Cup, beating full-strength Maori and Papua New Guinea sides, and led them to a win over Great Britain in 1996. He has been the Junior Kiwis coach since 1998, always pressing Australia and securing the first-ever age group win in 1988.
He played 19 tests for the Kiwis between 1980 and 1986 and was Hull's fullback for seven years.
Mark Graham, the coach who has resigned but wants to stay, yesterday named much the same team that beat North Queensland for this Saturday's Mission Impossible assignment against minor-premier winners the Broncos in Brisbane.
The only change is Scott Coxon's replacement of lock Jason Death, who has concussion and an ear laceration. Henry Perenara comes onto the bench for his second premiership run.
Warriors: Clinton Toopi, Odell Manuel, David Myles, Nigel Vagana, Henry Faafili, John Simon (c), Stacey Jones, Joe Vagana, Robert Mears, Terry Hermansson, Logan Swann, Monty Betham, Scott Coxon; interchange: Cliff Beverley, Henry Perenara, Matt Spence, Ali Lauiti'iti.
Rugby League: Warriors coaching hopefuls queue as sale stalls
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