For a third time in under two years, Wakefield Wildcats are on the lookout for a new coach after Brian Smith suddenly decided to leave the club.
His departure just nine months into his tenure and a month into the new season comes at an awkward time for Wakefield, who will be keen to get something sorted in a short timeframe.
However, given early departures at other clubs, there are a number of appealing candidates that may be keen on the job, with chairman Michael Carter needing to make the right call at this stage.
Here are five potential candidates for the Wildcats to consider.
1. Chris Chester
Chester is an obvious choice after recently leaving Hull Kingston Rovers.
After guiding his former club to the Challenge Cup Final last year, Rovers failed to make the top eight last season, although they comfortably got through the Qualifiers.
However, a poor start to the season leaves them next to bottom in the league and still without a win.
The 37-year-old can count himself unfortunate with the number of injuries suffered in his time at KR, with Terry Campese and Shaun Lunt missing the start of 2016 while Campese missed a lot of time last year too.
He’s still got a lot to prove, and the opportunity to ply his trade at the Wildcats might be an ideal opportunity to do so.
2. Paul Rowley
Another man to recently leave the coaching scene, Rowley has made it clear that he would still like to have a major involvement in the game.
He made remarkable progress with Leigh Centurions during his time there, making them the biggest force in the Championship before his resignation on the eve of this season.
Although taking on the Wildcats job would be a different beast, Rowley has earned his shot in the big leagues and would be a welcome addition due to his popularity.
It would also make a potential clash between Leigh and Wakefield later in the season a very tasty contest!
3. Glenn Morrison
Morrison was a target of Wakefield chairman Michael Carter when James Webster left the Wildcats under a year ago.
The current Dewsbury Rams head coach has taken the club to new heights in his time in charge and made them a viable contender for a top four spot in the Qualifiers despite limited resources.
He only signed a new contract with Dewsbury before the season, which makes a move at this stage unlikely, although stranger things have happened.
4. Brian Noble
It’s been a while since we’ve seen ‘Nobby’ in Super League, but it would be great to see him back!
The former Bradford and Salford head coach has a wealth of experience at this level and has had a lot of success too, making him an attractive candidate.
Whether he still has an interest in taking charge of a Super League club is not known given his media duties, but the Wildcats could certainly do worse.
5. Francis Cummins
Cummins has been out of Rugby League coaching for a while, but he is looking at his options after recently leaving rugby union side Yorkshire Carnegie.
His experience during a turbulent time at Bradford Bulls will certainly have made him stronger and his knowledge of Super League is still likely to be substantial given his recent involvement.
A move would be practical given his location in West Yorkshire and he would likely be keen on the job.
