League: Warriors in talks to add former Kiwis World Cup winning captain Nathan Cayless to club's coaching staff

Nathan Cayless. Photo / Photosport

The Warriors are in talks to add Kiwis assistant coach and former New Zealand World Cup winning captain Nathan Cayless to their coaching staff for next season.

The 40-year-old former Parramatta front rower, who captained more games than any other NRL player, is considering making the move to Auckland from Australia to become a third assistant to Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney.

Cayless has been working as head coach of the Wentworthville Magpies - the Eels' feeder Intrust Super Cup side - and earlier this year was appointed as an assistant to Kiwis head coach Michael Maguire, prior to New Zealand's defeat to England in the Denver test at Mile High Stadium in June. He also coached the Junior Kiwis last season.

Warriors general manager of football Brian Smith confirmed the club is hoping Cayless will agree to terms and join fellow assistant coaches Stacey Jones and new recruit Todd Payten, who has been signed to replace Andrew McFadden.

McFadden parted ways with the Warriors last week after six seasons to return to his hometown of Canberra and re-join the Raiders as an assistant to head coach Ricky Stuart.

"We've been talking to Nathan about joining us and are hopefully pretty close to reaching an arrangement," said Smith.

"But he's got a couple of things to weigh up. It's a big step for him to move his family."

Cayless and Kearney are former Kiwis teammates and the pair later reunited when Kearney took over as the national coach with Cayless captaining New Zealand to their historic 2008 World Cup victory.

Cayless also played 259 games for Parramatta during a 14-year career between 1997 and 2010.

It is unclear whether Cayless' decision over whether to join the Warriors might affect his position on Maguire's staff for the upcoming transtasman test against Australia at Mt Smart Stadium on October 13, or the end of year tour of England and France.

Smith was unsure what the club's position might be regarding Cayless potentially juggling both roles, saying: "That would be something we'd talk about. We haven't spoken to him about that at length."