🐇 Frank Curry | Rabbitohs Coach #21

Full Name: Francis Michael Curry
Born: 2/5/1950 at Darlinghurst (Sydney), NSW
Died: 15/5/2022 at Sydney, NSW [aged 72]
Club Playing Career: South Sydney 1970-71 and 1973
Club Coaching Career: South Sydney 1986-90 (lower grades) and 1991-93 (first grade)

Frank Curry was a local junior who was a member of Souths’ winning 1967 Jersey Flegg side, and the Rabbitohs graded him in 1970. He left the club in 1972 to play for Collegians Wollongong in the Illawarra premiership, but came back home in 1973, for one more season. In those three seasons with the club he played in 31 grade games, which also included four first grade games. He made his first grade debut for the Rabbitohs when he played on the wing against Canterbury-Bankstown in 1974, in round four.

His playing grade career seemed short, but he came back to coach several clubs in Souths' junior league, including Waterloo Waratahs in 1983-85, Souths' Presidents Cup in 1981-85 (jointly with Rod Gorman), Souths' Under-23s in 1986-87 (premiers in 1986), and Souths' reserve grade in 1988-90 (jointly with Rod Gorman in 1988).

Curry then took over as coach of Souths' first grade team from the long-serving George Piggins in 1991-93. It was a difficult time for cash-strapped Rabbitohs during the 1990s, when they couldn't hold onto their best players nor compete to buy better quality ones from other clubs.

His father, also named Frank Curry, played for the Rabbitohs in 1942-45. Frank Snr served in the Australian Army during WWII as a Gunner and his name appears on our 2018 ANZAC jersey. His son, Luke Curry, also played with Souths between 1992-93 in lower grades, as well coaching several Souths' junior rep sides. He went on to become Souths' Junior League CEO and a member of the Football Club Board of Directors at the Rabbitohs.

Frank Curry was a player, a coach, mentor and a friend to so many, who fought so bravely right to the end with cancer, but sadly passed away in 2022, at the age of 72.