The coaching merry-go-round never stops and it is showing no signs of slowing down with a number of current NRL coaches on the chopping block.
With Neil Henry having been forced out of the Gold Coast Titans and Des Hasler’s head still firmly on the chopping black at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, a couple of coaching jobs could be available in the near future.
There are plenty of first grade-quality coaches waiting in the wings who have yet to get a shot at the big time. Here are six aspiring NRL coaches ready to ride the rollercoaster.
Cameron Ciraldo (Penrith Panthers NRL assistant)
A former international rugby league player, Cameron Ciraldo has worked his way up the coaching ranks at the Penrith Panthers in recent years, building his resume since retiring in 2013.
Ciraldo took on his first major role under Trent Barrett as assistant of the Penrith Panthers’ NYC team in 2014, also joining Barrett as assistant of the Italian national rugby league team that same year.
Ciraldo was promptly promoted to head coach of the Panthers’ NYC team in 2015, delivering outstanding results in helping them to a premiership win with a record of 20-4 throughout the year.
He came back a year later in 2016 to deliver the Panthers their second consecutive minor premiership, stopped only by the Sydney Roosters in the grand final going down 30-28.
His efforts for the Penrith Panthers U20s saw him named NYC coach of the year in 2015 and 2016, being named as head coach for Italy midway through 2016 in helping them to qualify for the World Cup and graduating to NRL assistant under Anthony Griffin in 2017.
Should he get a head coaching role at an NRL club, he would surpass Trent Barrett as the youngest coach currently at the elite level aged just 32.
Jason Demetriou (Brisbane Broncos NRL assistant)
Jason Demetriou has built up a strong portfolio in recent years having delivered results at a number of clubs.
Immediately following his departure from Wakefield in 2010, Demetriou signed a deal with the York City Knights before swiftly reneging to instead join Keighley Cougars as player/coach, helping them to gain promotion to the Championship in his first season.
Demetriou retired from rugby league in 2012 after two years with Keighley, returning to Australia in 2013 as head coach of the Northern Pride.
The former Canadian and Greek international helped deliver back-to-back minor premierships in 2013 and 2014 to the Cairns-based club, also winning the maiden NRL State Championship against the Penrith Panthers in 2014. He also coached Queensland Residents to a 24-16 victory in that same year.
Demetriou soon after took up a gig as assistant coach to Paul Green at the Cowboys in 2015, winning a premiership before moving to the Illawarra Cutters whom he coached to a premiership and State Championship victory.
He most recently joined forces with Wayne Bennett at the Brisbane Broncos.
Demetriou has an unblemished record boasting premiership victories, promotion and representative series wins. He no doubt has the knowledge and experience to help transform a club and deliver results.
Adam O’Brien (Melbourne Storm NRL assistant)
Adam O’Brien may not have reached the same level in his playing days having starred in the past for Batemans Bay and Cairns Brothers, although his humble beginnings are testament to his meteoric rise in the NRL coaching ranks.
O’Brien first began coaching in 2000, spending two season as coach of the Bateman’s Bay Under 18s before joining the Melbourne Storm following his retirement in 2008 as Under 20s assistant coach.
O’Brien held the role until 2010 when he graduated to development coach, spending three seasons in the role between 2011 and 2013, working with the likes of Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Tohu Harris.
In 2014, O’Brien moved into the role of assistant coach, working closely with Craig Bellamy in developing the Storm’s attacking structures.
O’Brien has been exposed to arguably the strongest coaching staff in the game having worked alongside Craig Bellamy and although he has not previously played in the NRL, he has served his apprenticeship under Bellamy and is ready to take the next step forward.
Dean Pay (Canberra Raiders NRL assistant)
Dean Pay’s name has come up a lot recently for both the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and New South Wales Blues coaching roles.
The former Bulldogs and Eels player has previously worked under some of the most respected coaches in the game as an assistant to Kevin Walters at Catalans Dragons and as Melbourne Storm U20s coach, working with Craig Bellamy.
Pay became New South Wales U20s head coach in 2012, delivering five straight series wins before leaving the role in 2016.
Since 2014 he has worked with Ricky Stuart at the Raiders and although he is under contract until 2018, Pay is open to opportunities having been reportedly in negotiations with the Bulldogs should Des Hasler be forced out.
Anthony Seibold (South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL assistant)
Of all the aspiring coaches yet to make their way into the NRL, Anthony Seibold is by far and away the most likely to get a gig at a first grade club.
Seibold has a great knowledge of the game having coached the South Wales Scorpions to the play-offs in their maiden season of 2010 shortly after working as assistant coach at rival club North Wales Crusaders.
After a short stint with the Mackay Cutters, Seibold then joined the Melbourne Storm as assistant coach to Craig Bellamy where he further developed his skills in one of the most successful rugby league operations in the world.
As has been evidenced in the past, Craig Bellamy has a knack for producing quality first grade coaches with the likes of Michael Maguire having come through under his mentorship.
Seibold is no different, leaving the Storm after three seasons in 2015 to work under Trent Barrett as assistant coach of the Manly Sea Eagles in 2016, the same year he was appointed assistant coach at the Queensland Maroons.
After a one-year stay Seibold has since moved to South Sydney Rabbitohs but would not be shy to move away from Redfern should an NRL coaching opportunity arise.
Seibold has the patience, knowledge and experience necessary to help take control of an NRL side.
Ben and Shane Walker (Ipswich Jets)
The Walker brothers have been lauded for their ability to transform rugby league tactics as evidenced in Ipswich’s 2015 Intrust Super Cup win.
The pair would certainly revitalise the NRL if they were to be appointed as head coach of an NRL club and come as a package deal, creating an interesting point of difference.
While there are cons in that the head coach exerts double the amount of power, both know each other’s tactics inside and out, are on equal level and are able to engage with a playing group.
Ben and Shane Walker provide an alternative from out of left-field that could shake up the NRL with their emphasis on attacking football and camaraderie.
Honourable mentions
There are a number of coaches also ready to step into the limelight.
Chief among them is Penrith Panthers NSW Cup coach Garth Brennan, whose name has come up in recent years when jobs have become available at a number of clubs.
Brennan has worked with the NRL squads at both the Newcastle Knights and Penrith Panthers, having taken control of the Panthers’ young Intrust Super Premiership side and helped to develop their rich nursery into first grade talent.
He has recently been hired alongside former NRL coach Brian Smith as an assistant to David Kidwell for the New Zealand Kiwis ahead of the Rugby League World Cup.
The North Queensland Cowboys currently have two assistant coaches waiting their turn. North Sydney Bears legend David Fairleigh has plenty of coaching experience under his belt having served at a host of clubs over the last 15 years.
Fairleigh has worked as an NRL assistant coach at the Newcastle Knights (2005-2006), Parramatta Eels (2007-2009), New Zealand Warriors (2010-2011) and Penrith Panthers (2012-2015) before joining Paul Green at the Cowboys in 2016.
In addition to this, he also helped guide the Cook Islands to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup having taken on the role in 2009 before his departure in 2014. The former Kangaroos representative was also a central figure in the Central Coast Bears bid being tipped for the role of head coach.
Working alongside Fairleigh at the Cowboys is former Wests Tigers prop Todd Payten. Payten immediately stepped into coaching following his retirement, taking on the Wests Tigers’ NYC team for 2012 and steering them to the grand final, he remained in the role until 2014 when he graduated to NRL assistant coach.
During his time at Concord he was in charge of New South Wales under-18s between 2013 and 2014, leaving the club he won a premiership with to join the Cowboys as NYC coach in 2015 before joining Green’s NRL coaching staff a year later.
Meanwhile, in the Super League, Justin Holbrook has recently made the move to St Helens, replacing club legend Kieron Cunningham.
Prior to moving to the Merseyside, Holbrook was an assistant at the Roosters having previously worked for the Bulldogs NSW Cup side, Dragons NYC and Eels NYC whom he helped to turn around in 2014, narrowly missing out on a grand final berth.
The Gold Coast Titans may have their man in Terry Matterson. Matterson is currently caretaker following Neil Henry’s departure, working with Craig Hodges for the last two rounds.
Matterson is no stranger to coaching at an elite level however with seven seasons under his belt at the Castleford Tigers alongside working with the United States national rugby league team during the 2013 rugby league World Cup.
Roarers, which coach will be the next to step into the NRL? Be sure to leave your comments.
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