Valentine Holmes claims Josh Hannay is ready for a full-time head coaching job in the NRL after working with him at North Queensland and State of Origin level.
Josh Hannay's shot at becoming Des Hasler's long-term successor at Manly would make for a deserving case of third-time lucky according to those who know him best.
Hannay looms as a possible option for the Sea Eagles, with the off-season drama at the club likely to come to a head as soon as next week with owner Scott Penn back in Australia.
Manly have become the problem club of the NRL's off-season, with rumours of splits in the ranks and questions of whether Hasler would survive the summer.
Hasler is still signed on as coach until the end of next season, and while he is pushing for an extension the club wants to see some form of succession plan.
Hannay looms as one of the front-runners for that, alongside former South Sydney and Brisbane mentor Anthony Seibold.
While Hannay is yet to coach an NRL club full time, he has worked with the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans in Queensland State of Origin camp.
The Cronulla assistant has also had two years of experience as an interim coach, leading North Queensland for 10 games in 2020 before also coaching Sharks for most of 2021.
He had initially aimed for the top job at the Cowboys before losing out to Todd Payten, while he took on the Sharks' interim role knowing Craig Fitzgibbon was incoming.
But at Manly, he would be given his run to the top even if it requires serving under Hasler as an assistant initially.
Valentine Holmes is among the players who know him best, having played under him at the Cowboys while also working with him in the Maroons camp.
"He's definitely ready. He was up there at North Queensland. He's an awesome coach," Holmes said.
"He is very smart, he has obviously played the game and knows what it takes to play at a high level.
"He has worked under some very high-level IQ coaches.
"If he does get that, then good on him. He is under Fitzy now and they had an awesome year. Wherever he goes he seems to do alright."
Seibold meanwhile has spent time at Manly before as an assistant coach to Trent Barrett, and has a relationship with several players from his time there.
He was the NRL's coach of the year in his rookie season at Souths, and after his horror two-year stint at the Broncos has worked with the Newcastle Knights and English rugby under Eddie Jones.
Beyond the pair, Shane Flanagan, Dean Young and Jason Ryles would be among other future options for Manly, with Holmes also backing Young's credentials and claiming his former coach in Flanagan deserved another shot.
