Wayne Bennett signed as Rabbitohs Head Coach 2025-27
21st May 2024
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to be welcoming back Wayne Bennett as the Clubs Head Coach for the next three seasons from 2025 onwards. Bennett is regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time, having coached over 900 games with NRL Clubs and over 1100 first grade and representative games since the 1970s, claiming seven premierships with the Broncos and Dragons, as well Grand Final appearances with the Rabbitohs and Raiders. He also won a premiership with Brisbane Souths in 1985 and six State of Origin series with Queensland, most recently in 2020. Bennett has also had enormous success at the international level, coaching Australia, England and Great Britain at various times throughout his coaching career.
Bennett was the Rabbitohs Head Coach between 2019 and 2021, taking the Club to preliminary final appearances in the first two years and the Grand Final in his final season in charge of South Sydney.
Bennetts on-field success is complemented by his ability to assist players and staff off-the-field, renowned as one of Australian sports great people-managers. The Rabbitohs wish Coach Bennett the best of luck for the remainder of the 2024 season. Out of respect for him and his current club, the Dolphins, the Rabbitohs wont make any further comment until he completes his duties with the Dolphins and resumes coaching at South Sydney.
Wayne Bennett - Coaching Record
Head Coach - Dolphins (2023-24) - 34 games / 16 wins (NRL winning percentage 62%)
Head Coach - Souths (2019-21) - 77 games / 53 wins
Head Coach Brisbane (1988-08, 2015-18) 631 games / 402 wins
Head Coach Newcastle (2012-14) 75 games / 34 wins
Head Coach St Geo-Ill (2009-11) 79 games / 51 wins
Head Coach Canberra (1987) 28 games / 17 wins
Head Coach Bris Sths (1977-79, 1984-85) - 113 games / 63 wins
Head Coach Bris Brths (1980-82) - 57 games / 23 wins
Head Coach Ipswich (1976)
Head Coach - Great Britain (2019)
Head Coach England (2016-19)
Head Coach NRL All Stars (2010-13,16)
Assistant Coach New Zealand (2008)
Head Coach All Golds (2007)
Head Coach Australia (1988, 2004-05)
Head Coach Queensland (1986-88, 1997-98, 2001-03,20)
Achievements - Premierships - 7 (1992-93, 97-98, 2000, 06, 10)
- Coach of the Year - 4 (1987, 97[SL], 2000, 15)
Ref - SSFC [Viewed 23 May 2024] / FN-1
2025 Coaching Structure
31st October 2024
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce the football department coaching structure and new staff appointments ahead of the 2025 season. As per the announcement made in May this year, Wayne Bennett will be the NRL Head Coach for at least season 2025 through to 2027.
Supporting Coach Bennett will be NRL Assistant Coaches Ben Hornby and Steve Antonelli. Hornby continues his tenure with the Rabbitohs which began in 2020 as a Development Coach before being promoted to senior Assistant Coach in 2022. Hornby took the reins of the first grade side as NRL Interim Head Coach midway through the 2024 season. Antonelli returns to the Rabbitohs following a brief stint with the Parramatta Eels, having coached the Rabbitohs NSW Cup side in 2021 and becoming an NRL Assistant Coach in 2022.
South Sydney legend John Sutton will continue in his role as Development Coach, working with the Clubs elite young talent to ensure integration and alignment across all grades from NRL to under 17s. Former Rabbitohs premiership-winning Assistant Coach, Wayne Collins, will return to the Club in 2025 as NSW Cup Head Coach.
The Rabbitohs have appointed a new Head of Performance for season 2025, with Trent Elkin joining the Club. Elkin has extensive experience in Rugby League high performance programs including stints at the Bulldogs, Eels, Sharks and with the NRL Referees, most recently with Parramatta as Head of Performance. Tom Watkins also joins the Club as Pathways Head of High Performance.
Former Rabbitohs Head of Football, Mark Ellison, will shift into the Head of Recruitment and Retention role at the Club, focussing on the recruitment and retention of full-time players to the South Sydney Club.
Former NRL Assistant Coach David Furner has moved into the Head of Pathways position, taking control of the Clubs playing, coaching and staffing talent outside of the full-time playing and football staff, from open age down to under 17s, development squads and working with Souths Juniors on Junior Bunnies squads. Tyrone McCarthy will work closely with Furner as the Clubs Pathways Skill Acquisition Coach.
Former Rabbitohs premiership-winning player and former Pathways Wellbeing Manager Jason Clark has been promoted into the Football Manager role, and will work closely with Football Logistics and Facilities Manager Kyle Furner on managing the day-to-day requirements of the full-time playing, coaching and football staff. Rob Capizzi returns to the Rabbitohs as Pathways and Womens Operations Manager, with a particular focus on preparing the Club for an NRLW team in future years.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrew McDonald, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jack Milligan, Head of Wellbeing Ian Reeves, Head Physiotherapist Crawford Quinn, Rehabilitation Physiotherapist Vicki Locke, Elite Athlete Rehabilitation Program Physiotherapist Cuan Neyland, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Athlete Rehabilitation Sam Pervan, Sports Science Advisor Brendan Fahrner, Football and Recruitment Analyst Leigh Richardson, Pathways Head of Medical Bernie Chau, NRL Career Coach Ryan Gonsalves and Recruitment Manager Brent Hill will all continue in their roles for the new season.
"We thank those coaches and staff who departed at the end of, or during, the 2024 season for their commitment and dedication to our Club, particularly Jason Demetriou, Brock Schaefer, Joe OCallaghan, Andrew Croll, Alice Sharples, Ross Tesoriero, Liam Gough and Donna Smith who made enormous contributions to our full-time football program. Members of the playing group start to return for pre-season in November. We know that the pre-season under Waynes guidance will be crucial to returning the Rabbitohs to the right end of the competition table. 2025 will be an exciting season and everyone at the Club cannot wait for it to start."
Steve Antonelli Position: NRL Assistant Coach Coaching Record: NRL Assistant Coach Parramatta (2023-24) NRL Assistant Coach South Sydney (2022) NSW Cup Head Coach South Sydney (2021) Senior NRL Assistant Coach Canterbury-Bankstown (2018-20) NRL Assistant Coach Canberra (2014-17) NSW Cup Head Coach Mounties (2013-17)
Ref - SSFC [Viewed 2 Nov 2024] / FN-1