| MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT | | Print | |
| Friday, 18 September 2009 07:44 | |||
The South Sydney Rabbitohs announced today that the Club had terminated the contract of Head Coach Jason Taylor, effective immediately. Mr Taylor had been given until 5pm Tuesday to remedy serious breaches of his contract notified to him in writing on 10 September 2009 arising out of an incident at the Forresters Hotel on Sunday, 6 September 2009. As Mr Taylor had failed to remedy those breaches by the appointed deadline, the Club exercised its lawful right to terminate his contract. Mr Taylor’s contract with the Rabbitohs was to have expired on 31 October 2010. The Rabbitohs want to make it known to their Members, supporters, corporate partners and the Rugby League community that the Club remains determined to set and uphold the highest standards in staff and player behaviour. “First of all we would like to apologise to the Clubs who are participating in the NRL Finals Series as this incident has detracted from the positive publicity they and Rugby League should be receiving at the moment. They’ve done a great job to make the top eight this year and I’m sure the rest of the Finals Series will be as enthralling as week one,” Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson said. “At the Rabbitohs we are determined to ensure that the values that our Club holds and the reputation of the Club and those people and organisations connected with us remain intact. “This is not about one or two people. It is about our Club, standing up for what we believe is right, and ensuring that we uphold our reputation. It’s about protecting the Club and everything that we stand for. “The incident that occurred on September 6 has undoubtedly done damage to the Club’s reputation, despite an otherwise unblemished 2009 season. “We have built our business plan on the fact that all of our stakeholders are part of the family that is South Sydney. “We are unique in the Sydney market in that we do not rely on poker machines to prop up our business. We rely on our credibility. “We rely on the reputation and the conduct of our employees, players, coaches and administration in general. “On a broader note, Rugby League is under close review of its whole culture. Rugby League is a professional sport with corporate partners, Members, supporters, management and staff to consider. “The game needs to make a stance on our behavioural incidents and each Club needs to make their own statement about what is acceptable behaviour. “We believe this is not acceptable behaviour from the Head Coach of South Sydney. “We thank Jason for his efforts with our Club over the past three years and wish him luck with his career and his family in the future. On a related matter, the Club also announced today that it had terminated the playing contract of David Fa’alogo, by agreement reached with the player, also effective immediately. The Club thanks Mr Fa’alogo for his services to the Club over the past seven seasons and wishes him success in his playing career in the United Kingdom. “We have also reached agreement with David and his management to terminate his contract immediately,” Mr Richardson said. “The Board met and determined that David had breached the Club’s Code of conduct, a document that clearly sets out the behavioural standards expected of the players at our Club, and our only course of action was to terminate his contract.” Fa’alogo has expressed his remorse at his role in the incident. “I’ve been at the Rabbitohs for seven years now and I’m sorry that my time at the Club has ended in this way,” Fa’alogo said. “I take full responsibility for my actions and having met with my management, I feel the Club has given me a fair hearing in this case. “I thank the Club for giving me the opportunities they have and I wish the Rabbitohs luck in the future.” The Club has informed the NRL of the termination of both Mr Taylor’s and Mr Fa’alogo’s contracts. Rabbitohs appoint John Lang as Head Coach for next two seasons and appoint Mark Ellison as Football Manager The South Sydney Rabbitohs have appointed John Lang as Head Coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Lang is one of Rugby League’s most successful and respected coaches of all time, having coached 13 consecutive seasons in the NRL from 1994 to 2006 with a winning percentage of 57 per cent. Lang has been with the South Sydney Football Club for the past 16 months as the Club’s Football Manager, however he is keen to return to coaching. “I’m looking forward to the challenge and working with the players for the next two seasons,” Lang said. “We have a great young squad of players, a great coaching, medical and training team, and a strong front office to keep the Club moving forward off the field. “It’s an honour to be given the opportunity to coach a Club such as South Sydney and we’ll be leaving no stone unturned to win our next premiership.” South Sydney has also appointed Mark Ellison as Football Manager in a shift to the front office for the former NRL Assistant and lower grade coach. Ellison is a South Sydney junior that spent five years playing with the Club in a playing career that spanned eight seasons from 1984 to 1991. Ellison coached at Jersey Flegg and Premier League level before joining the NRL coaching ranks as an Assistant Coach. Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson says the appointments of Messrs Lang and Ellison are a positive move for the Club. “Being able to bring John into the coaching role is very fortunate for the Club as we have someone now who has already been working with the players and the Football Department staff over the past two seasons,” Mr Richardson said. “John is a highly credentialed Head Coach with a great track record of developing young players and taking teams that are outside the top-eight and turning them into premiership contenders. He did that at Penrith who went from wooden spooners in 2001 to premiers in 2003, and he went to the finals six years out of eight at the Sharks. He is a hardened professional. “Mark Ellison is an asset to this Club and we’re pleased that he is able to continue to work with the Football Department in the Football Manager role. “As CEO, I need someone helping me to run the Football Department at our Club that knows what we need to be successful on the field, and who can also run the department efficiently and within budget. Mark has run his own business before so he will understand the business-side of Rugby League, but also knows the playing and coaching side of the business intimately as well. “We’re very confident that Mark will do a good job taking over where John Lang has left off, and we feel we have a very strong Football Department moving into the new season.” Some of the highlights of Lang’s coaching career include winning the NRL premiership with the Penrith Panthers in 2003; two premiership victories with the Easts Tigers (Brisbane); a Grand Final appearance in 1997 with the Cronulla Sharks; two minor premierships in 1999 (Sharks) and 2003 (Panthers); eight Finals Series in 13 seasons; three Coach of the Year Awards in 1995, 1999 and 2003; Australian Super League Coach in 1997; and being awarded the Australian Sports Medal for contribution to Australia’s international standing in Rugby League. Regards, Rabbitohs Membership Team
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