2021 Rabbitoh News - Rabbitohs 2022 Senior Coaching Staff

Rabbitohs 2022 Senior Coaching Staff

15th July 2021

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce that John Morris will join the Rabbitohs as an Assistant Coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, alongside Ben Hornby who has extended his tenure with the Club for a further two seasons. Rabbitohs incoming Head Coach Jason Demetriou will lead the 2022 Rabbitohs squad in his first season as an NRL Head Coach with the assistance of a 300-game player and a coach with previous NRL Head Coaching experience in Morris, as well as another assistant with International, State of Origin and Premiership-winning experience that has been working with the Rabbitohs for the past two seasons in Hornby.

Rabbitohs Head of Football, Mark Ellison, said it was important to bed down the coaching structure for 2022 early as the Club pushes forward with its 2021 campaign. "We’re very happy with the calibre of coaches that will be leading the Club in 2022 and beyond," Mr Ellison said. "Jason has done a long coaching apprenticeship in the NRL, United Kingdom, Queensland Cup and New South Wales Cup and he is certainly ready to step up into the Head Coach role. For him to be able to call on a young yet experienced group of Assistant Coaches for support is very important and we couldn’t be happier with the coaching team we’ve assembled with him. John has shown he has what it takes to coach at the top levels, as has Ben. They have a wealth of playing experience on their side but they have also developed a strong coaching background over the past decade to be the right men to appoint as Assistant Coaches to Jason. In saying all of this, we still have a campaign on which to concentrate in 2021, and Jason and Ben will play a big role in supporting Wayne (Bennett) and the team over the next three months as we work towards securing our 22nd premiership for this Club."


Jason Demetriou

Position        - NRL Head Coach

Coaching Record - NRL Assistant Coach – South Sydney (2019-21)
                - NRL Assistant Coach - Brisbane (2017-18)
                - NRL Assistant Coach - St George-Illawarra (2016)
                - NSW Cup Coach - Illawarra (2016 – NRL National State Champions, NSW ISP Premiers, NSW ISP Coach of the Year)
                - NRL Assistant Coach - North Queensland (2015)
                - Qld Cup Coach - Northern Pride (2013-14 – NRL National State Champions 2014, QLD ISC Champions 2014, QLD ISC Coach of the Year 2013)
                - Head Coach - Keighley (2011-12 – Championship 1 Premiers 2011, Championship 1 Coach of the Year 2011)
               
John Morris

Position        - NRL Assistant Coach

Coaching Record - NRL Head Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland (2019-21)
                - Under 20s Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland (2016-17 – NYC Coach of the Year 2017)
                - Development Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2015)

Ben Hornby

Position        - NRL Assistant Coach

Coaching Record - Development Coach - South Sydney (2020-21)
                - NRL Assistant Coach - St George-Illawarra Dragons (2015-19)
                - Assistant Coach - World All Stars (2016-17)
                - NYC Co-Coach - St George Illawarra (2014)
                - SG Ball Coach - St George Illawarra (2013)

Rabbitohs Finalise 2022 Pathways Coaches and Support Staff

28th October 2021

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce their coaching ranks, from NRL through to under 17s, for the 2022 season. Led by Rabbitohs Head Coach Jason Demetriou and Assistant Coaches Ben Hornby and John Morris, the Rabbitohs NRL squad will be supported by Development Coaches John Sutton and Joe O’Callaghan, with Steve Antonelli moving into an NRL Assistant Coach role specialising in ruck performance. Renowned Head of High Performance Travis Touma has also joined South Sydney ahead of the 2022 pre-season.

Touma brings great experience working at the elite levels in Rugby League including NRL, State of Origin and International football. Touma returns to the Club for which played junior representative football before moving into training and high-performance roles at the Sydney Roosters, with the NSW Blues and Lebanon. Mark Ellison, Head of Football Operations said, "Travis is a proven leader in his field having worked with the Roosters for 14 seasons during one of their most successful eras in their Club’s history, as well as with the NSW State of Origin team, the Indigenous All Stars and the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII. He is a former player with South Sydney at the Jersey Flegg and SG Ball level and it’s great to be bringing one of our own back to the Club."

Antonelli moves from the NSW Cup coaching ranks to be the Club’s assistant focusing on ruck play. Ellison said, "Steve is also a very experienced coach and has done a fantastic job in making sure the fringe players in our squad were ready and raring to go when they were called upon to perform at the NRL level in 2021."

Demetriou will have two 300-plus NRL gamers and three coaches with International, State of Origin and Premiership-winning experience in his coaching staff, as well as a Head of High Performance in Touma that has extensive Club and Representative team experience to call on in his first season as an NRL Head Coach.

Rabbitohs Head of Football, Mark Ellison, said he is excited about the calibre of people leading the Rabbitohs football department into the new season. "We’re very happy with the calibre of coaches and staff that will be leading the Club in 2022 and beyond," Mr Ellison said. "For him to be able to call on a young yet experienced group of Assistant Coaches and support staff is very important, and we couldn’t be happier with the coaching team we’ve assembled with him.

O’Callaghan will combine the Development Coach role with his position as Head of Elite Pathways and Player Development. Ellison said, "Joe always has a wealth of knowledge in both coaching and player development and has done a fantastic job in setting up our pathways over the past three years."

John Sutton will also work with the NRL squad as a Development Coach, combining that role with his position as Head Coach of the under 19s SG Ball Cup team. Ellison said, "In addition to John Morris and Ben (Hornby), John Sutton is setting out on his coaching career and knows the modern-day game inside out. He has one of the best football brains in the game and will ensure the next generation of Rabbitohs are ready to take the necessary steps up in class as they progress through their careers."


Travis Touma

Position        - NRL Head of High Performance

Coaching Record - NRL Head of High Performance - Sydney Roosters (2014-21)
                - NRL Head Physiotherapist - Sydney Roosters (2009-13)
                - NSW Cup Physiotherapist - Newtown (2008)
                - Representative Performance Staff - NSW SOO (2015-21)
                - Representative Physiotherapist - Australian PMXIII (2012)
                - Representative Physiotherapist - Indigneous All Stars (2014)

Reserve Grade NSW Cup Premiership

The Rabbitohs Reserve Grade NSW Premiership side will be led by rookie coach Dane Dorahy, who will be assisted by twin brother Jason Dorahy throughout the 2022 season. After working as the Illawarra NSW Cup assistant coach Dane went on to establish himself as a Play Maker Skills company role before returning as NSW Cup Head Coach.

Jersey Flegg Cup Under 21s

Leon Latulipe steps up into Under 21s this year as Head Coach and will be assisted by Luke Deller.

SG Ball Cup Under 19s

John Sutton steps up into Under 19s this year as Head Coach and will be assisted by Beau Falloon.

Harold Matthews Cup Under 17s

Luke Deller will act as Head Coach and will be assisted by Eddie Paea.