EXCLUSIVE: Out of all 17 options, Phil Gould has one 'fair dinkum' NRL team he would love to coach
Phil Gould is regarded as one of the greatest minds in rugby league history - so who would he want to coach out of all 17 current NRL clubs?
While currently in the general manager of football role at the Bulldogs and with no designs on leaving, Gould is thrown up whenever the NSW Blues or other coaching vacancies arise.
Despite it having been more than two decades since Gould has coached full-time, there is one side who the premiership winner would love to get his hands on.
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In an off-the-cuff discussion at the start of this week's episode of Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles With Gus, the 67-year-old name-dropped the Gold Coast Titans as the team with the most exciting roster, just days out from their clash with Canterbury.
Gold Coast have a star-studded roster. Getty
"[They are] a very dangerous football team," Gould said.
"They are a good side and if I could pick one team to coach - I can't coach anymore, by today's standards I'm not a coach and not in the same postcode - but if you could pick one team to coach, fair dinkum I'd pick the Gold Coast Titans.
"They've got great talent … right at this moment, yeah, I reckon they've got great talent.
"I love the fact that Jayden Campbell is playing halfback, [AJ] Brimson to five-eighth and [Keano] Kini is there too.
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"They've got such speed out wide and their forwards are so good as well with [Reagan] Campbell-Gillard, Fotuaika, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Beau Fermor - they are all really good players. David Fifita is on the bench, so that goes to show just how strong the side is.
"They have got points in them and great attacking flair."
Gold Coast will enter their second season under Des Hasler on Sunday evening, after the side drew a round one bye.
Des Hasler took over at the Titans last year. Getty
While their 2024 campaign under Hasler didn't go to plan, Gould is backing the Titans to bounce back and fix the defensive woes that have so often plagued them.
"That's been their Achilles heel, but that's got to turn around eventually," he said.
"I guess we all anticipated that once Des Hasler went there, it would happen.
"Now that he's had a second off-season with them, I think they'll be much improved."
