🐇 Arthur Kitinas | Rabbitohs Coach #26

Full Name: Arthur Angelo Kitinas
Born: 29/11/1959 at Perth, WA
Club Playing Career: Easts Sydney 1977; South Sydney 1978-80 and 1984
Club Coaching Career: South Sydney 2004

Arthur Kitinas was born in Perth and his family moved to Sydney when he was only five years old.

Souths junior who joined arch-rivals Easts in 1977, when he was only 17 years old. Kitinas was coaxed into joining the Roosters by their Under-23s coach at the time, Bill Anderson.

He played one game in first grade for the Roosters in that year against Newtown, in round 16, when he came on as a replacement for Mal Connor.

When Bill Anderson switched clubs to become the Rabbitohs new coach, Arthur followed Anderson.

During 1978, Kitinas played eight first grade games for the Rabbitohs, scoring a try; three Amco Cup games, scoring two tries; and three Channel Ten Cup games.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to add any more top grade games upon going back to Easts in 1981-83, and upon his return to the Rabbitohs in 1984.

Kitinas retired from playing after his second stint at the Rabbitohs and soon after began coaching, when he landed his first coaching gig at the Roosters in 1991.

He spent more than a decade as coach of the various Roosters teams including their Under-23s, Jersey Flegg and Reserve Grade sides.

Ricky Stuart's arrival at Bondi led to his exit before Phil Gould gave him a lifeline when he asked him to join Souths as part of the Rabbitohs re-entry into the competition in 2002.

After the Rabbitohs continued their poor performances on the field in 2004 with only two wins and a draw from twelve games, he finally replaced Paul Langmack as head coach of the foundation club after they were defeated by Cronulla 38-18, in round 12.

Kitinas had an immediate impact as coach when the Rabbitohs defeated Melbourne Storm for the first time by 28-26, and followed it with another sweet victory over Manly by 34-30.

That success didn’t last, and in the next ten games they only managed another win and a draw.

Kitinas stayed on as an assistant at the Rabbitohs the following season.

In 2006-07 he coached the Fiji national side, and in 2007 he coached Wests Tigers reserve grade side, Balmain-Ryde Eastwood.

He came back to the Rabbitohs in 2013-14 as their SG Ball Cup coach, and in 2016 he coached the Sydney Roosters SG Ball Cup side.