DEPARTING rookie Ata Hingano has delivered a veiled but stinging swipe at Warriors coach Stephen Kearney.

On his way out the door after signing with Canberra this week, Hingano as much as stated Kearney wasn’t as good a coach as Ricky Stuart.

The 20-year-old playmaker was released by the Warriors to join the Raiders immediately, adding to Stuart’s halves depth in the nation’s capital.

And he shot a cheeky dig at his now-ex coach Kearney when speaking to the New Zealand Herald.

Round 20

“The Raiders are missing a hooker but for me it’s more being under a coach that has success behind him and hopefully I can develop as a player,” Hingano said.

The implication is Kearney wasn’t going to better Hingano as a player, and therefor he feels Stuart is a better man to do the job.

Ata Hingano in action for Tonga. Source: AFP

The Warriors are the NRL’s perennial battlers and Kearney hasn’t been able to arrest the slide of the trans Tasman club.

The former Kiwis international coach will lead the Warriors again in 2018.

Hingano, meanwhile, will be moving to Canberra where he will bne trying to snatch the vacant hooker role at the Raiders.

With the two halves spots filled, Hingano will fight it out with Siliva Havili, Craig Garvey, and Sam Williams for the No. 9 jumper.

“The indication Canberra has given me is if I can prove myself and stand out in Cup games then ‘we’ll give you a crack’,” he said.

“I know they’ve got established halves but if I can get that development under Ricky, I can really challenge and try and get in front of them, or else just play consistent footy.

“But I don’t mind attacking other positions whether it’s hooker or half. I’ve just got to keep working hard for it.”