NRL: Warriors in discussions with Laurie Daley

Laurie Daley. Photo / Getty

Australian league legend Laurie Daley is in the Warriors sights, perhaps as the club's football director.

That's the clear inference from Warriors owner and chairman Eric Watson, who told Newstalk ZB's Tony Veitch the club was lacking deep NRL experience while chief executive Jim Doyle confirmed he had held discussions with Daley.

The 46-year-old Daley, the New South Wales coach, has already been linked to the Warriors this year as a sounding board to his friend Andrew McFadden, the embattled Warriors coach.

Former Canberra Raiders star Daley, whose wife Michelle is a Kiwi, was one of the finest five-eighths and centres in league history and is among the most well-liked characters in the game. He has coached New South Wales since 2013, breaking Queensland's long run of State of Origin wins in 2014.

Watson said: "If we had more NRL experience at an Australian level...we could bring a Laurie Daley on board. A guy like Laurie Daley will be looking for new challenges. Maybe Laurie is the guy. In due course we will make an appointment...whether it be football mentor or board member that person would probably be the next move no matter how we are performing on the field. I think the coach would welcome that."

Doyle revealed he had approached rugby heavyweights Sir Graham Henry and Wayne Smith in recent years over having advisory roles, but Daley now appears to be the Warriors' chief target.

Doyle said: "I talked to Wayne (Smith) a few times but unfortunately Wayne, because of his character, is very loyal to NZ rugby and that was the biggest stumbling block."

"We've got a lot of belief in Cappy (McFadden) but who does he talk to, who are the types of people we can get around him?

"Laurie loves it over here, we've had some discussions. Getting him or someone like him into a role like football director role is definitely a possibility.

"I talk to Laurie on a regular basis, and his focus is very much on Origin. He's said 'let me get through origin'...who knows what the future holds? Everyone like that is looking at their options.