KEY POINTS:
Former Kiwis captain Hugh McGahan is "dumbfounded" Gary Kemble has been retained as Kiwis coach and questions his ability to win over his players.
Kemble received the backing of the NZRL board on Friday to see out his contract until the end of next year's World Cup, despite
disastrous results against Australia and Great Britain.
Kemble failed to gain the respect of the players on tour and some, including captain Roy Asotasi, were critical of his experience and methods.
It is this aspect that worried McGahan the most. "It's a crazy decision," he said. "I'm dumbfounded they [the NZRL] haven't listened to the ones who are going to play under Gary.
"For someone like Roy to say what he has is revealing and for the board to not take notice of this is incredible. If that quality of player is saying that, what will Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall think when they come into the side?
"To me, it's a face-saving exercise by the NZRL. Are they doing it for themselves or the good of the game? It's just like what the NZRU has done [with Graham Henry]."
New NZRL chairman Ray Haffenden said the decision was made to provide some "solidarity and consistency" after a tumultuous couple of months.
It's understood, however, that Kemble was close to being sacked, with the board 3-2 in favour of relieving him just a day before Friday's meeting.
It's unlikely he would have survived under former chairman Andrew Chalmers, who resigned soon after the tour.
Chalmers had said during the tour that Kemble was under pressure to keep his job and that the NZRL was considering scrapping the contentious Freeman Rule that required the Kiwi coach to be domiciled in New Zealand.
That might still happen and there's increasing talk Wayne Bennett will be formally invited to take a role with New Zealand. The Brisbane coach had a taste as All Golds coach and was touted as a possible successor if Kemble was sacked.
It's not yet been decided whether James Leuluai and Phil Prescott will carry on as Kemble's assistants. Kemble said he hoped the pair would continue but that he would also be tapping into Bennett's arsenal of knowledge.
"Maybe we can come to some sort of formal arrangement with Wayne but that hasn't been decided because the review hasn't finished. I will be recommending a lot of things I think will be beneficial."
Kemble will travel to Sydney at the end of January to meet senior players and others who missed the tour but believes he already has them onside.
"I felt I had the confidence of the players by the end of the tour," he said. "When it ended, they all said they couldn't wait to be involved again next year. We were all good after winning in France. Roy and I spoke honestly about things we needed to do."
Former Kiwis coach Frank Endacott welcomed Kemble's reappointment, saying it was a "sensible decision by the new board" but he disagreed with bringing in Bennett.
"There's no need. Gary needs to find his feet without the help of Australians. There are plenty of former Kiwi coaches who can help him."
