Queensland Rugby League open the door to Wayne Bennett for 2021

The Queensland Maroons have opened the door to a possible 2021 under coach Wayne Bennett.

Bennett was brought in as a late replacement for Kevin Walters, who landed the Broncos head coaching role, with the aim of being a temporary stop-gap for the Maroons.

His success in Origin I however has already set tongues wagging.

The Sydney Morning Herald now reports Queensland Rugby League chairman Bruce Hatcher has left the door open for Bennett to remain in charge of the Maroons next year.

"Yes. One subject would be his availability and that of anyone else," Hatcher told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"The bonus is we've got three calm, experienced individuals [including Bennett's assistants Mal Meninga and Neil Henry] all with great ability in their own right. They've all gelled together and done a great job.

"We had agreed as a board to go to a full process for a two or three-year appointment and we will still go through that, but it's going to be interesting period of time for the next little bit. Let's cross that bridge when we get to it."

Bennett has been a vocal critic of Origin coaches not traditionally being allowed to coach in the NRL concurrently.

The veteran coach still has a year left on his deal with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.