David Kidwell admits he'll welcome a mentor

Kiwis rugby league coach David Kidwell has admitted he needs experienced people around him if he wants any chance of moving the side forward. Photo / Photosport

Kiwis rugby league coach David Kidwell admits he needs to surround himself with experienced minds if he has any chance of turning the team's current slump around.

Kidwell has just one win in five matches as Kiwis coach and was in the firing line after a disappointing Four Nations campaign which included two losses to Australia and a draw with Scotland.

He said coming in just months out from the campaign was tough, and that having another voice to lean on could help dramatically.

"I've got an opportunity to align myself with high performance New Zealand, and go into a forum where other coaches might have been in the same situation," Kidwell told Newstalk ZB's Tony Veitch. "It's an opportunity for me to learn."

"I'll make sure I surround myself with people who are going to get the job done."

Kidwell and his Kiwis were also criticised for their apparent "lackadaisical" attitude when preparing for the Four Nations final.

Herald reporter Michael Burgess was at the final captain's run just a day before the final and said the team looked unbelievably relaxed, taking selfies on their phone and having an unusually short training session.

Kidwell denied the claims saying he doesn't know where the story or the information came from.

Instead, he deflected blame from the Kiwis towards the pure skill of the Kangaroos.

"You've got to remember this Australian team, there are two or three immortals going through that team," he said.

"If you had seen the way we trained and the intensity - I wouldn't have seen that performance coming."

Kidwell will remain as Kiwis coach until after next year's World Cup, however his assistant coaches' roles are up for grabs.​

Instead, he deflected blame from the Kiwis towards the pure skill of the Kangaroos.

"You've got to remember this Australian team, there are two or three immortals going through that team," he said.

"If you had seen the way we trained and the intensity - I wouldn't have seen that performance coming."

Kidwell will remain as Kiwis coach until after next year's World Cup, however his assistant coaches' roles are up for grabs.