Speculation is growing surrounding the successor to John Mitchell as coach of the Chiefs Super 12 side.

The Waikato Times reported that a shortlist has been prepared after applications closed on Monday night and a decision was expected by the weekend.

Chiefs chief executive Gary Dawson refused to reveal any further details of the applicants, including the number of applications received, after consulting the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

Incumbent assistant coach Kevin Greene, another former Waikato coach John Boe, current Waikato coach Kiwi Searancke and Northland coach Bryce Woodward have all confirmed their applications.

Those to be granted interviews were to face a panel including new Sport Waikato executive director Matthew Cooper, who just two years ago was playing for the Chiefs. Cooper was yesterday confirmed as filling the spot on the panel set aside for a prominent rugby person.

He joins Chiefs representatives Dawson, Graeme Elvin (a current board member) and Neil Gray (former All Blacks manager and ex-Waikato Rugby Union chairman), along with NZRFU representative Steve Tew.

Dawson said the panel would make a recommendation to the Chiefs board on whom it believed should get the job, and if the board approved that choice the successful applicant would then have to negotiate a contract with the NZRFU before an announcement was made.

"It might take two days or it might take four.I'm not prepared to put a time limit on it," Dawson said.

Whoever gets the job will accompany Dawson to Wellington next Thursday for a meeting of the five New Zealand Super 12 franchises where the 28-man squads for next year's series will be sorted out.