Papua New Guinea Rugby League say they're disappointed Mal Meninga did not give them a heads up before accepting the Australian coaching job.
Meninga has been employed as the organisation's Performance Director since 2013 and is contracted to coach Kumuls until the 2017 World Cup.
Mal Meninga is swapping Queensland and PNG for Australia. Photo: Getty Images
The Chief Executive Officer of the Papua New Guinea Rugby League, Bob Cutmore, says Meninga was in Port Moresby last month and told him he had been offered the job but had not made his mind up.
He says PNG Rugby League congratulate Meninga on his appointment as Kangaroos boss but would have expected a phone call.
"I am disappointed because the office hasn't heard anything from Mal regarding his appointment. That could be just an oversight and I could well imagine that in the time but it is a bit disappointing to me that we haven't been officially informed that he was going to take the position, when he has a current contract from us. The current contract still stands until I actually get notified from him, or his management team, that he has accepted the contract with the Australian Rugby League and his contract here is terminated but I haven't officially been informed of that yet".
Bob Cutmore says he has already been thinking about who could replace Meninga as Kumuls coach and says with only one test confirmed for next year they're in no rush to make a permanent appointment.