Parramatta great Peter Wynn has urged the club to consider pursuing Billy Slater to coach the Eels.
Wynn’s comments came the morning after his beloved club dropped the axe on Brad Arthur, sacking the coach after a decade at the helm in which the team missed NRL finals only twice.
The rugby league microscope now turns to the candidates to replace Arthur.
READ MORE: Former UFC star dead at 33 after motorbike crash
READ MORE: Texts reveal how Arthur was ‘blindsided’ by Eels
READ MORE: Controversial diet fuelling Foxx’s Origin push
Wayne Bennett was linked to the role before announcing a deal with South Sydney on Tuesday morning.
“Hopefully the Eels can move forward and have a good coach for next year, hopefully one with plenty of experience,” Wynn told Nine’s Today.
“I was hoping Wayne Bennett would be the man. I know he had a close association with Jack Gibson and Ron Massey… I’d be still pursuing him (it has since been confirmed that Bennett has signed a contract to return to Souths).
“Or maybe even a little bit left-field, maybe a guy who’s coached Queensland the last couple of years in Billy Slater, maybe he is the man for the job.
“Certainly they need someone with a bit of experience, so hopefully they make the right decision.”
Slater has won the last two Origin series as coach of Queensland but has shown little desire to step into an NRL club role any time soon.
These are the other contenders lining up to replace Arthur.
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
JASON DEMETRIOU
The former Bennett protege was chewed up and spat out by the brutal world of NRL head coaching within three years.
Demetriou succeeded Bennett at the Bunnies and won 16 of 27 games in 2022, and had the team flying midway through the 2023 season before disaster struck.
South Sydney capitulated in the second half of 2023 and then continued to fall in 2024, ultimately leading to Demetriou’s axing.
He was accused by Sam Burgess of giving special treatment to high-profile stars like Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker, which in many ways was the beginning of the end, but many good judges within the game still believe Demetriou has the ability to be a successful head coach in the NRL.
It may be too soon, though, for a club to take a gamble on that following his spectacular fall from grace.
JUSTIN HOLBROOK
Holbrook had huge raps on him during success coaching St Helens in the Super League, and was meant to be Gold Coast’s white knight when arriving in 2020.
But the Titans struggled – as they always have – to make a dent in the premiership, and Holbrook was sacked during the 2023 campaign.
In what should be viewed as a big tick on his CV, though, he’s moved south to work under Trent Robinson at the Roosters this year.
Robinson has been one of the most successful coaches in the NRL over the last 11 years and will no doubt be putting some polish on Holbrook’s skillset.
He’s only 48 years old and the Gold Coast assignment is one that many coaches have failed to nail, so perhaps rival clubs can forget those dire few years and still have faith in his ability to succeed in the NRL.
TRENT BARRETT
He’s been installed as interim coach by Parramatta following the sacking of Arthur.
Barrett now has the chance to show the Eels he has what it takes to bash the NRL team into shape.
But he doesn’t have a flattering record as an NRL head coach.
He missed the finals twice in three seasons with Manly before being punted in 2018, then went to the Bulldogs where he again failed to coach the team into finals contention.
It would take a mammoth effort in the second half of this campaign for Barrett to convince the club he can do the job full-time.
MICHAEL MAGUIRE
Madge is one of the more experienced coaches currently without a job in the NRL.
He led South Sydney to the premiership in 2014 so knows what it takes to make a team successful.
He also led New Zealand to a stunning Pacific Championships victory over Australia last year.
But Maguire has just taken the reins of New South Wales’ men’s State of Origin team.
And the fact he is also contracted to coach the Blues in 2025 suggests he is unlikely to be available to coach an NRL club in the foreseeable future. It shouldn’t be discounted though.
BLAKE GREEN
The Sydney Morning Herald reports Green is firmly in the frame for Arthur’s job thanks to his powerful agent.
Isaac Moses is reported to have had a say in Arthur’s demise, and he manages several high-profile Eels players – including his cousin Mitchell Moses and young star Blaize Talagi.
Moses already has four clients employed as head coaches at NRL clubs – Todd Payten (Cowboys), Shane Flanagan (Dragons), Anthony Seibold (Sea Eagles), and Andrew Webster (Warriors).
Green is working as an assistant to Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien but has family in the Parramatta area.
SAM BURGESS
It’s widely believe the legendary forward will return to one day coach South Sydney – perhaps in a succession plan with Bennett.
Burgess is in his debut Super League season as head coach of Warrington and is busy learning his trade in England.
It would take a giant show of faith from Parramatta to bring Burgess back Down Under with only one season of experience under his belt.
But it’s a gamble Penrith legend Mark Geyer thinks the Eels will consider.
“The bolt from the blue would be Sam Burgess,” Geyer told his Triple M radio show on Tuesday.
JASON RYLES
Ryles is widely considered the next best NRL assistant who is ready to step up to a head coaching role.
He was shown the door by the Roosters last year after agreeing to return to Melbourne to work under Craig Bellamy.
He also knocked back an approach from the Dragons to replace Anthony Griffin this season.
Ryles was flagged as Bellamy’s successor in the Victorian capital, but he will have to wait at least one more year for that job after Bellamy inked a one-year extension recently.
If Ryles is unhappy about waiting in line for 2025, he may yet entertain a move back to Sydney.
JOSH HANNAY
The unassuming Hannay has forged a reputation of sorts as the ideal interim NRL coach.
He filled the roles at the Cowboys and Sharks and did the job with aplomb, before being shunned for the permanent roles.
Last year he missed out on the Dragons job, leading to Sharks veteran Wade Graham questioning why Hannay was struggling to get a look-in.
“He is the next one off the ranks in my opinion… He flies under the radar, but one day, when the right opportunity arises for him, he’s going to make a wonderful head coach.,” Graham said.
Hannay has also worked with Queensland’s Origin team and is highly regarded by the Maroons.
MICHAEL CHEIKA
The former Wallabies coach was linked to South Sydney’s job before Bennett swooped in and napped it.
Cheika hasn’t been shy about his desire to coach an NRL team, and it may be a gamble worth taking for a club in need.
Cheika worked with Eels halfback Mitchell Moses when he coached the Lebanon team.
He also spent time working with the Roosters under coach Trent Robinson, and is said to be a wily rugby league tactician.
PAUL McGREGOR
The man known as Mary has seemingly disappeared from discussions since being axed by the Dragons in 2020.
But last year he voiced his desire to have another crack at NRL coaching if an opportunity arose.
He spoke to 2GB’s Continuous Call Team when Adam O’Brien’s job was under pressure in Newcastle.
“If an opportunity did come up at Newcastle, I would certainly look at that if it did come up,” McGregor said.
McGregor had been working with the NSW Origin team under Brad Fittler since being dumped by the Dragons.