Manly assistant coach John Cartwright put forward his case to coach NSW in the 2018 State of Origin series in a meeting with NSWRL chairman George Peponis and chief executive Dave Trodden on Wednesday.
NRL.com understands Cartwright is one of four candidates the NSWRL is considering as Laurie Daley’s successor, with the governing body conducting a range of interviews before a board meeting at the end of the month.
Former South Sydney coach Michael Maguire is due to meet with the NSWRL on Friday. An announcement on who gets the job is expected by the end of the November.
Cartwright, who was one of Daley’s assistants for the 2017 series, put forward a strong case in a lengthy meeting at Canterbury Leagues Club.
Cartwright, who coached the Titans for eight years after they joined the competition in 2007, played eight State of Origin games for NSW between 1989 and 1992 and has a strong understanding of the Blues’ culture.
Maguire, ex-Canberra coach Dave Furner and Blues legend Brad Fittler are the frontrunners for the job.
With meetings planned over the next few weeks, it is expected all candidates will have to put forward a proposal as to why they are best suited to end Queensland’s long-standing State of Origin dominance.
Fittler, who has sought the assistance of Andrew Johns and Phil Gould, is regarded as the standout for the job, however the NSWRL are partaking in a thorough process to make sure they get the right man.