'All the makings of a head coach': Rabbitohs back Hornby for Dragons job
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South Sydney players have backed assistant coach Ben Hornby to thrive if he opts to pursue the vacant St George Illawarra head coaching gig.
Shane Flanagan's departure on Monday opened the door for a fresh voice at the Dragons, with interim Dean Young and Hornby among the leading contenders for the permanent role.
The duo combined to lead the club to a historic premiership in 2010 before embarking on coaching careers once they hung up the boots.
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After starting his coaching journey at the Dragons, Hornby eventually departed to join Wayne Bennett's staff with the Rabbitohs in 2020.
His time at the club includes a stint as interim coach following Jason Demetriou's sacking in 2024. The former halfback went 6-11 in 17 games in charge.
South Sydney skipper Cam Murray said Hornby has completed his apprenticeship under Bennett and is ready to step into a head coaching role.
"He had a stint as head coach here a couple of years ago and I couldn't fault him," Murray said. "It was like he's been doing it for 20 years. He's an incredible guy and any club will be lucky to have him as a head coach.
"His simple approach to coaching helped us through that period in 2024. He knew simplicity was the best thing for us. There was a lot of noise on the outside and on the inside as well, so his calm approach helped us a lot.
"It's what he's learned from Wayne, the simple fundamentals of what create good footy teams and being consistent with that. That's what kept a lid on things when he took over in 2024 and why we bounced back the way we did."
Match: Storm v Rabbitohs
Round 8 -
home Team
Storm
15th Position
away Team
Rabbitohs
4th Position
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
It was the Rabbitohs who brought an end to Flanagan's time in charge of the Dragons, South Sydney claiming a 30-12 victory at Accor Stadium last Saturday night.
Bennett's men will head south to take on the Storm on Anzac Day, with the Rabbitohs chasing their first victory in Melbourne.
Players right across the squad speak glowingly of Hornby, with edge forward Tallis Duncan crediting the assistant coach for helping unlock his best form.
The 24-year-old has been a revelation this year, running for 194 metres in last week's win over the Dragons.
Tallis Duncan Try
"Hornby has all the makings of a head coach," Duncan said. "He's a great person, his footy IQ's second to none and he's pretty intelligent so if that's something he wants to do, he'll be good at it.
"The way he can break down the game is impressive. He was such a smart footballer when he played. Sometimes that wouldn't translate to explaining it to dumb forwards but he's got the ability to do that.
"He can break down a game in a way that everyone understands. That's important and he's clear with his messaging too."
Saturday's match takes on greater meaning for Duncan, who's dad is a member of the Navy.
The Rabbitohs will honour 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy, and the 14 men who represented the club as players and officials and served their country in the Navy.
Another double for Duncan
South Sydney will wear a special jersey in the match, with $5 from every jersey sold donated to Keeping Watch, a charity for Royal Australian Navy families in financial need.
"It means that little bit extra," Duncan said. "The game is something dad and all the boys at work look forward to and they'll be watching. So there's that little bit of extra fight for everyone."
