Rugby League: Lonergan - Aussies will be 'spewing'

Kangaroos fullback Greg Inglis looks on during his side's defeat to the Kiwis. Photo / Getty

Former test forward turned ace promoter Dean Lonergan says Australia will be "spewing" over their repeated losses to the Kiwis.

But he says despite the fanfare for Steve Kearney's Kiwi side, New Zealand league faces an uphill battle as it tries to make gains from the amazing run of league success against Australia.

Lonergan, who brought the NRL nines to Eden Park, has labelled Kearney as "the greatest Kiwis coach ever" and said mounting victories over the Kangaroos would give the New Zealand Rugby League some more power in the board room.

He says league could make small progress by fighting for mini tours of New Zealand by the English side, and trying to give the Pacific Island test teams more exposure. But those sorts of ventures would still struggle to be major money winners in terms of TV rights and sponsorship.

Lonergan said apparently simple tasks such as the scheduling of more tests against the Kangaroos in New Zealand were actually complex issues.

"I found that out with the nines - you have to get the okay from the whole of the NRL including the coaches and players' union. I literally had to get 500 people to say yes," said Lonergan, who was an Auckland-based player when he figured in the famous 1991 Kiwi victory at Melbourne.

Man of the match Manu Vatuvei dives to score a try. Photo / Getty Images

"But Australia will be spewing. They will be sick of losing. Everyone in the game will know that these results are good for rugby league and that Australia will be desperate to be number one again."

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Lonergan, in Las Vegas for boxing's so-called fight of the century, said Kearney's run of success exceeded anything achieved by a coach previously.

Kearney's first triumph was the 2008 World Cup when the great Australian mentor Wayne Bennett was part of the Kiwis' campaign. Kearney now assists Bennett at the Broncos and Lonergan was sure Kearney still went to Bennett for snippets of advice.

"You would have to ask Steve about that but I'd be surprised if he didn't," said Lonergan.

"The big advantage Steve has is the cattle. He has the players who are in the NRL teams. The power at his disposal is stunning. The game is all about go forward and with Jesse Bromwich, Ben Matulino, Manu Vatuvei and that monster from Wests, Martin Taupau, it is like having four props on the field. He is getting the selections right."