Sam Burgess, Dean Young, Willie Peters: The next big thing of NRL coaching revealed
We’re halfway through the NRL season and the pressure gauge on the game’s leading mentors is about to go up. DAVID RICCIO reveals the long list of coaches in-waiting to enter rugby league’s hot seat.
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We’re halfway through the NRL season and the pressure gauge on the game’s leading mentors is about to go up. DAVID RICCIO reveals the long list of coaches in-waiting to enter rugby league’s hot seat.
SAM BURGESS
Pushed by many pundits across the game to take over from Jason Demetriou when he was let go by the Rabbitohs last year, Burgess had already committed to commencing his head coaching journey with Warrington.
More recently, Burgess was discussed by the NRL as a candidate for the Perth Bears.
Contracted to the Wolves until the end of 2026, Burgess is eager to continue developing his coaching resume in the UK where he has won 10 from 18 matches with the Wolves this year.
WILLIE PETERS
The former Rabbitohs half began his coaching journey in 2015 as the Wests Tigers under-20s coach before climbing the coaching ladder with stints as the NRL assistant at Manly (2016-2107), Rabbitohs (2018-2019) and the Knights (2019-2022) before taking his first head coaching job at Hull KR in 2022. Peters’ reputation as a future NRL coach was solidified last weekend when he led Hull KR to their first trophy in 40-years with victory over Warrington in the Challenge Cup. A major player should any NRL club make a call on their coach.
JOSH HANNAY
Pipped by Jason Ryles for the Eels head coaching job this season, Hannay also met with Manly before they appointed Anthony Seibold. The 45-year-old is widely-regarded as the most-ready NRL coach in-waiting. The Sharks assistant coach and right hand-man to Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater also boasts valuable head coaching experience having held the fort for the Cowboys and Sharks as an interim. Hannay’s relationships with the Maroons players would make him a perfect fit for the Knights (Kalyn Ponga) and Titans (Tino Fa’asuamaleaui) should those clubs make a change.
BEN HORNBY
Learning from arguably the best mentor in the game in Wayne Bennett, the Rabbitohs assistant coach has all the makings of a future NRL coach, with many aware of the respect he commands from the most senior players at Souths. Hornby began his coaching journey in the lower grades of the Dragons before joining Souths. He earned great experience for 18-games as the interim coach last year. Hornby is showing more of his personality and the style of coach he is, by routinely fronting-up for Bennett at the post-match press conferences.
DEAN YOUNG
Young is making all the right choices to develop his coaching craft, firstly by leaving the Dragons coaching ranks in 2021 to work with Todd Payten at the Cowboys. With an increasing reputation as a future NRL coach, the 41-year-old then returned to the Dragons to work under premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan in 2024. He was also an assistant to the NRL Indigenous All Stars in 2020, the assistant to the Tongan national team since 2019 and more recently, the defensive-minded coach has gained major plaudits from within the NSW Origin team as the Blues assistant coach to Laurie Daley.
MATT KING
Pipped by Laurie Daley for the NSW State of Origin coaching job, the former Test winger with the famous mop of hair is now one of the hottest rising stars of the coaching ranks in the game as the Blues assistant coach. King began his coaching journey at the Rabbitohs following his retirement from playing at the end of the 2013, contributing to the Bunnies 2014 premiership. King has been with the Roosters since 2016 under Trent Robinson, while he was appointed assistant coach for Lebanon during the 2021 World Cup. Touted recently as an assistant coach candidate to Mal Meninga in Perth, King is eager to stay at the Roosters to continue working on his craft.
DANIEL HOLDSWORTH
A name from within the elite coaching ranks that is gaining serious momentum. The former Dragons, Bulldogs and Sharks playmaker began his coaching journey at his former club the Bulldogs in 2016 before rising through the Sharks ranks with the under-20s, Harold Matthews teams and to be currently Craig Fitzgibbon’s assistant coach at Cronulla. The attack-focused coach has a strong rapport with his players, noted particularly by the Samoan squad, where Holdsworth has worked as an assistant for the national team.
MICHAEL ENNIS
One of the game’s leading analysts at Fox League is also on a rapid trajectory towards NRL coaching with his ever-evolving resume of development including work in pathways, advisory coaching roles and assistant coaching roles with the Sharks, Eels, Raiders and now Manly, where he works as a specialist coach. Dedicated towards his coaching and an elite communicator, it’s only a matter of time before Ennis is in charge of his own team.
BEN GARDINER
The short-priced favourite to join Mal Meninga’s coaching staff at the Perth Bears where he will become the eventual head coach of the new franchise. Gardiner boasts one of the most vast coaching resumes in the game having held coaching positions at the Rabbitohs, Sharks, Bears, City Origin, NSW under-20s, Wests Tigers and as head coach of the Wests NSW Cup side. The current Panthers assistant coach is also the head coach of Samoa, while he has also worked as the assistant coach to the Kiwis.
JUSTIN HOLBROOK
Given the Titans current 17th-position on the NRL ladder, many view Holbrook’s sacking from the head coaching position in 2023 as incredibly harsh. A quality mentor, Holbrook has worked with some of the game’s greatest players both during his time as head coach of St Helens, the Titans and now as the assistant coach to Trent Robinson at the Roosters. Holbrook also led PNG to wins over Fiji and the Cook Islands in 2023.
BLAKE GREEN
A coach with an increasing reputation, highly-regarded for his work-ethic and ability to communicate to his players. The former playmaker is the current assistant coach at the Knights, where he continues to develop his craft. Gets a strong rap from the Knights senior players.
JASON DEMETRIOU
A coach with a deep resume having worked in England, through the lower grades of the NSW Cup and NRL with South Sydney, where he took the Rabbitohs to the preliminary final in 2022. Despite being let go by the Bunnies last year, Demetriou has failed to walk away from developing his craft, working as the head coach of the PNG Kumuls and powerful rugby league schoolboys side, Westfield Sports.
MARC BRENTNALL
A name that may slip under the radar of NRL fans, but not at the Melbourne Storm, where he is the street corner tip to replace champion coach Craig Bellamy. A ball boy for the club in their inaugural season in 1998, Brentnall has progressed through the club’s coaching ranks as a development coach, under 20s coach and to Bellamy’s assistant, a position he’s held since 2018.
BRETT WHITE
The former 196-game forward is adding genuine layers to his coaching with his current position on the NSW Origin coaching staff his latest chapter. Began his coaching journey through the lower grades of the Raiders before joining the Titans as an assistant coach in 2023. White was also an assistant to Test coach Mal Meninga at the Pacific Championships last year.
BRAD ARTHUR
Coached the Eels to 264-NRL games before being let go in 2024. Reached the high point of his career in taking Parramatta to the 2022 grand final, finishing his time at the blue and golds with five finals appearances during his time. Currently working as the head coach of the Leeds Rhinos, where they currently sit third on the ladder.
JOHN MORRIS
After being let go by the Sharks as the club’s NRL coach in 2021, Morris continued to develop his coaching at the Rabbitohs as an assistant coach (2022-2023) before linking last season with his former teammate Benji Marshall to work as the Wests Tigers assistant on a four-year deal. Morris is widely regarded as the most likely successor should the Tigers make a move on Marshall.
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