The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce that John Morris will join the Rabbitohs as an Assistant Coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, alongside Ben Hornby who has extended his tenure with the Club for a further two seasons.
Rabbitohs incoming Head Coach Jason Demetriou will lead the 2022 Rabbitohs squad in his first season as an NRL Head Coach with the assistance of a 300-game player and a coach with previous NRL Head Coaching experience in Morris, as well as another assistant with International, State of Origin and Premiership-winning experience that has been working with the Rabbitohs for the past two seasons in Hornby.
Rabbitohs Head of Football, Mark Ellison, said it was important to bed down the coaching structure for 2022 early as the Club pushes forward with its 2021 campaign.
“We’re very happy with the calibre of coaches that will be leading the Club in 2022 and beyond,” Mr Ellison said.
“Jason has done a long coaching apprenticeship in the NRL, United Kingdom, Queensland Cup and New South Wales Cup and he is certainly ready to step up into the Head Coach role.
“For him to be able to call on a young yet experienced group of Assistant Coaches for support is very important and we couldn’t be happier with the coaching team we’ve assembled with him.
“John has shown he has what it takes to coach at the top levels, as has Ben. They have a wealth of playing experience on their side but they have also developed a strong coaching background over the past decade to be the right men to appoint as Assistant Coaches to Jason.
“In saying all of this, we still have a campaign on which to concentrate in 2021, and Jason and Ben will play a big role in supporting Wayne (Bennett) and the team over the next three months as we work towards securing our 22nd premiership for this Club.”
Biographies
Name: Jason Demetriou
Position: NRL Head Coach
Coaching Record: NRL Assistant Coach – South Sydney Rabbitohs (2019-21)
NRL Assistant Coach - Brisbane Broncos (2017-18)
NRL Assistant Coach - St George Illawarra Dragons (2016)
Head Coach - Illawarra Cutters (2016 – NRL National State Champions, NSW ISP Premiers, NSW ISP Coach of the Year)
NRL Assistant Coach - North Queensland Cowboys (2015)
Head Coach - Northern Pride (2013-14 – NRL National State Champions 2014, QLD ISC Champions 2014, QLD ISC Coach of the Year 2013)
Head Coach - Keighley Cougars (2011-12 – Championship 1 Premiers 2011, Championship 1 Coach of the Year 2011)
Playing Record: 243 first team games for Keighley (one game - 2011), Wakefield Trinity (187 games - 2004-10), Widnes (54 games - 2001-03), Lancashire (one game – 2000)
Two games for Canada (2000)
Name: John Morris
Position: NRL Assistant Coach
Coaching Record: NRL Head Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2019-21)
Under 20s Head Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2016-17 – NYC Coach of the Year 2017)
Development Coach – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2015)
Playing Record: 300 NRL games for Sharks (105 games – 2010-14), Tigers (72 games – 2007-09), Eels (92 games – 2003-06), Knights (31 games – 2001-02)
Two games for Country Origin (2002-03)
Name: Ben Hornby
Position: NRL Assistant Coach
Coaching Record: Development Coach (South Sydney Rabbitohs 2020-21)
NRL Assistant Coach (St George Illawarra Dragons 2015-2019)
Assistant Coach (World All Stars 2016-17)
NYC under 20s co-Head Coach (St George Illawarra Dragons 2014)
SG Ball Head Coach (St George Illawarra Dragons 2013)
Playing Record: 273 NRL games (all for the Dragons 2000-12)
One Test for Australia (2006)
Three State of Origin matches for New South Wales (2004, 2006, 2008)
Three games for Country Origin (2005-06, 2008)
One NRL Premiership (Dragons captain - 2010).
