NRL coach safety ratings: Which mentors are fighting for careers in 2024?

Coaching in the NRL can be a nasty, brutish and short career choice - our experts rate the career prospects of every club’s clipboard holder ahead of the 2024 season.

Who’s safe and who’s walking the tightrope in 2024?

Some NRL coaches could finish with the wooden spoon in 2024 with little to no threat to their job, while there are others who must make the finals to survive into 2025.

And then there are some who won’t get a chance to do either, with at least one NRL coach sure to get his marching orders before the season is over.

Read our coach safety ratings and have your say.

BRONCOS: KEVIN WALTERS (contracted to 2025)

Went into the 2023 season with major question marks around his future after missing the finals in his first two years in charge of the Broncos.

He was rewarded with a two-year contract extension before the season started and put those doubts to bed by guiding Brisbane to its first grand final since 2015.

The Broncos fell agonisingly short of snapping the club’s 17-year title drought with a heartbreaking loss to Penrith in the decider.

But Walters proved he is an NRL coach and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

SAFETY RATING: A

RABBITOHS: JASON DEMETRIOU (2026)

Comes into the season under a huge amount of scrutiny despite only signing a contract extension at the end of 2023. South Sydney floundered at the back end of last season and they won’t accept a repeat. Needs to start well.

SAFETY RATING: B-

DRAGONS: SHANE FLANAGAN (2026)

Returns to a head coaching role for the first time since 2018. Will need every bit of his coaching nous to navigate what is expected to be a tough year. Hitting the market for 2025 will bring the club some much needed optimism.

SAFETY RATING: A+

TITANS: DES HASLER (2026)

Hasler is one of the safest coaches in the NRL as he embarks on his first season in charge of the Titans. A two-time NRL premiership-winner, and five-time grand finalist, Hasler has the runs on the board and will be given time to put his mark on the Gold Coast.

A finals berth isn’t out of the question with the quality players Hasler is inheriting and it’s hard to see him being sacked if the Titans miss the play-offs.

SAFETY RATING: A

STORM: CRAIG BELLAMY (2024)

Bellamy has a rolling contract that leaves his future in his own hands. He was expected to walk away last year but went again and you can expect another guessing game early next season as he weighs up whether to continue in 2025. Assistants Jason Ryles and Marc Brentnall are waiting in the wings.

SAFETY RATING: A+

BULLDOGS: CAMERON CIRALDO (2027)

Ciraldo is on a mission to do things his way with the belief that the same defensive system he introduced at Penrith can eventually be instilled at Canterbury. Last season included a string of learnings and layers of frustration, as both players and fans, realised how much work needs to be done to understand the defensive model. Amid all that was Ciraldo working out who the right players are to deliver on the plan. The club’s recruitment drive speaks to the backing of Ciraldo’s five-year contract.

SAFETY RATING: B+

WARRIORS: ANDREW WEBSTER (2028)

The Warriors have wasted no time in backing Webster. After just one season, the rookie coach signed a new long-term deal last October. The deal provides the club with the ability to show stability and a vision to their pathways players.

SAFETY RATING: A

SEA EAGLES: ANTHONY SEIBOLD (2025)

The Sea Eagles missed the finals in Seibold’s first year in charge but there were extenuating circumstances, the most notable the absence of Tom Trbojevic through injury. This is a big year for the former Broncos coach given Manly has a squad that should be in the top eight and potentially pushing for the top four.

SAFETY RATING: C

RAIDERS: RICKY STUART (2025)

Didn’t get near the credit he deserved for what was a huge effort in 2023 by getting a Raiders squad lacking star power into the top eight ahead of teams such as the Rabbitohs, Eels, Cowboys and Sea Eagles, who all missed the play-offs. Still has two years to run on his existing deal and is under no internal pressure. But the club knows patience is needed to allow time for some of the hot talent the necessary time to develop as the Raiders commence a transition period following the loss of Wighton and retirement of Jarrod Croker, while Elliott Whitehead and Jordan Rapana are likely coming into their final season.

SAFETY RATING: A

EELS: BRAD ARTHUR (2025)

Arthur has done a tremendous job rebuilding Parramatta since taking over in 2014, and thoroughly earned his contract extension on the back of the 2022 grand final appearance.

While that has since seen him overtake Brian Smith as the club’s longest-serving coach, the pressure is on for the team to start fast to avoid any unwanted speculation after completely missing the 2023 finals.

SAFETY RATING: C-

TIGERS: BENJI MARSHALL (2027)

Marshall is the Tigers’ fourth coach in seven years. The rookie coach has the full backing of the club’s powerbrokers, which should see the Tigers guarantee the full length of his deal, regardless of his results. But Tigers fans might not be as patient or forgiving, and despite a perceived sense of job security, Marshall will be under the blow torch to deliver improvements as soon as 2024.

SAFETY RATING: B

PANTHERS: IVAN CLEARY (2027)

Three straight premierships has rightly earned Ivan Cleary the kind of job security NRL coaches can only dream about. The club has already revealed its intention to make halfback Nathan Cleary a one-club player and the coach comes as a package deal alongside his son.

There is no guarantee the titles will continue to roll in over the next four seasons but, if Cleary can maintain a competitive outfit that finishes in the top four regularly, his job is unlikely to come under scrutiny.

SAFETY RATING: A+

KNIGHTS: ADAM O’BRIEN (2024)

It’s amazing the difference a few wins makes. Midway through 2023 Adam O’Brien’s future at the club was the subject of speculation when it looked as though the Knights were about to underachieve - again. But a 10-game winning streak turned everything around and suddenly O’Brien’s job looks safe again.

SAFETY RATING: B

SHARKS: CRAIG FITZGIBBON (2027)

After his debut season at the club in 2022 the ex-NSW and Australia legend was handed a three-year contract extension, meaning he’s locked in at the Sharks for the next four years.

However, the Sharks had a mixed season this year through injuries and other issues, and they haven’t yet won a finals game under Fitzgibbon’s rule. There’s still a lot of improvement in the squad and that rests on his shoulders.

SAFETY RATING: A

ROOSTERS: TRENT ROBINSON (2028)

The Roosters fell short of pre-season predictions in 2023, but Trent Robinson’s job is as safe as any in the NRL. The Roosters surged home to reach week two of the finals but there was still disappointment given they were early-season premiership favourites. If they fall short of expectations again, however, it will require a serious review.

SAFETY RATING: A

DOLPHINS: WAYNE BENNETT (2024)

The NRL’s greatest coach is as safe as Fort Knox, but the parties have agreed that Bennett won’t be heading up the Dolphins beyond next season. The 73-year-old will pass the head-coaching baton to Kristian Woolf for 2025 and he will spend the next 12 months mentoring his right-hand man. The Dolphins want Bennett to stay on in another role but whether the master mentor chooses to coach on with another club is the $1 million question.

SAFETY RATING: A

COWBOYS: TODD PAYTEN (2026)

One of the code’s promising, emerging coaches, Payten received a contract extension until the end of 2026 after the Cowboys’ fairytale preliminary final campaign in 2022. But North Queensland’s free fall to 11th spot last season brings the 2022 NRL coach of the year back to the field. The 44-year-old is well and truly safe for 2024 but another poor season and the pressure will be back on Payten to get the Cowboys rolling at a time when their premiership window is open.

SAFETY RATING: B

Originally published as NRL coach safety ratings: Which mentors are fighting for careers in 2024?