Sharks assistant Hannay has declared his pursuit of the Parramatta job after his own caretaker stints at Cronulla and North Queensland, while sources close to Ryles have indicated his genuine interest in taking over one of Sydney’s biggest clubs.
Ryles rejected a four-year offer from the Dragons last year to return to Melbourne as Craig Bellamy’s possible successor, having worked at the Storm, Roosters and alongside Eddie Jones in English rugby.
Jason Ryles (right) and Eddie Jones together during their time with English rugby in 2020.Credit: Getty
Sarantinos refused to confirm Parramatta’s full list of interview candidates. But he acknowledged Cheika is an intriguing prospect considering his rugby resume includes success with the Wallabies, Waratahs and Argentina.
Cheika’s man-management impressed when he took charge of Lebanon at the last rugby league World Cup, with Parramatta’s million-dollar halfback Mitchell Moses a huge fan of his approach.
Plumping for either Cheika, or a rookie coach, is viewed as a gamble given the expectations and pressure Parramatta deals with as a flagship club that’s striving to end a 38-year premiership drought.
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Asked whether Cheika loomed as a genuine contender, Sarantinos said: “That will be determined as we go through the process, right?
“He’s obviously had a long career in coaching and some touch points with rugby league at different stages.
“He’s got a lot of experience and he’s obviously put forward his interest. He’d be a very interesting guy to have in the process and brings a point of difference that we’ll explore.
“We’re looking for someone who has had experience in winning programs and can come in and set up a high-performance culture.
“Whether that’s an assistant who’s served a strong apprenticeship or an experienced coach, we’ll just work through the process and assess who is the best person for our club.”
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