League legend Graham Lowe says Kiwis coach David Kidwell needs to wield the axe, following the weekend's cocaine scandal.
Captain Jesse Bromwich and teammate Kevin Proctor allegedly bought cocaine from a man outside a nightclub in Canberra, following their heavy loss to the Kangaroos on Friday night.
They haven't been charged, but Bromwich has resigned as captain. Lowe told The AM Show on Monday he shouldn't even be considered for the World Cup later this year.
"I would have loved to have heard David say they're gone. He's got to show some strength - he's the coach, he's the boss. Forget all this rule by committee, getting the group together."
Kidwell, speaking to The AM Show from Australia, said it's not as simple as that.
"I'll need to get senior management together, New Zealand Rugby League senior leaders, and we'll come up with a solution."
Lowe says it is.
"He's got to show some leadership and rule them out. He's the bloke with the axe - he's got to do the job."
The 30-12 scoreline obscured how poorly the Kiwis performed at GIO Stadium - at one point they were down 30-0. Lowe thinks players should have been hiding at the hotel after the match, not partying it up until 5am.
"They had nothing to celebrate," said Lowe. "They shouldn't be out amongst the public. They have no right to be."
Kidwell says the pair are "remorseful", and will have to work "extremely hard" to regain his trust. He doesn't think cocaine's a regular pastime for either of them.
"This is just out of character for these two men. It's an isolated incident. I can only judge when I've been involved with these men. These are good men. They work hard on the field, they work hard for their teammates on the field, and that's why I'm probably so gutted."
They had a "dry dinner" before the game, and should have stuck to "a beer with their friends and families" afterwards, in his view.
"They've let their clubs down, their families down, and they've let the rugby league community down."
Prime Minister Bill English said doing cocaine on the streets of Canberra was a "really dumb thing to do".
"Rugby league's got to deal with the impression that it leaves for everybody, the same that rugby's had to deal with," he told The AM Show, referring to former All Black Ali Williams' recent fine.
"If you're that well-recognised you just can't do that sort of stuff. Of course, they've got to be treated in a legal sense just the same as everybody else - they're not special just because they're sports stars."
Sports Minister Jonathan Coleman put his thoughts on social media site Twitter.
"What's happening with @NZRL_Kiwis won't encourage parents to get their children into the game - a big problem. Urgent action required."
Dr Coleman was at the centre of his own cocaine controversy last year - after attending a school fundraiser where fake cocaine was used as a prop.
Newshub.