Canberra great Alan Tongue believes his former club should consider re-appointing Neil Henry to replace the axed David Furner.
The former Raiders skipper was shocked at the decision to sack Furner and questioned the reasoning behind the announcement with the club sitting just outside the top eight.
"It took a lot of people by shock, the timing of it in particular, with three games to go. It was a decision we couldn't work out at the time," Tongue told AAP.
"I feel for Dave. He has poured his heart and soul into the club as a player and as a coach."
Henry led the Raiders into the finals in the second of his two seasons at the helm in 2008 and won the NRL coach of the year before moving to North Queensland, who he will leave at the end of the year.
But Tongue also claims his links with Mal Meninga, who's leading a six-man sub-committee tasked with finding a replacement for Furner, could work in Henry's favour.
"I really loved my time under Neil Henry and although the Cowboys are letting him go and had some indifferent form under him at times ... I think he is a really good coach ... one of the best I have played under," he said.
"There's been up to a dozen names linked and they've put a sub-committee together led by Mal who employed Neil as an assistant coach with Queensland so he knows all about his strengths.
"But there's been six or seven really good names thrown up. No doubt they'll go through all the different scenarios and you'd think they'd consult the senior players as well."
One-club man Tongue played more than 200 games for the Raiders in a career spanning 12 seasons and is disappointed by the off-field actions of Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson.
Dugan was sacked by the club following a series of off-field indiscretions and Ferguson, who's battling an indecent assault charge, is set to activate a release clause in his contract.
And Tongue said if Ferguson wants to leave, it would be best for all concerned to cut ties.
"It's pretty easy for Blake, he needs to talk to the administration and to the players and, if he wants to be there, they'll play alongside him.
"But if he doesn't, then it's time to move on. He's such and important figure in the team but, if he doesn't want to be there, it doesn't help anybody."
