You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content

Men's Coaches

Since 1922 the Club has appointed official Head Coaches (with a few exceptions), with the coaching responsibility given to captains, to lead the side, in the formative years of the competition.

Some of the greatest coaches in the code's history have held the clipboard in charge of the Tricolours, including Arthur 'Pony' Halloway, Jack Gibson, Bob Fulton, Phil Gould and current mentor Trent Robinson.

The name and years served as the Sydney Roosters Head Coach are listed below, together with many significant coaching statistics.

Last Update: 1st January, 2025

Roosters First Grade Men's Coaches

Years Coach
No.
Name Games
Coached
W L D Win
%
Titles
1922 - 1924 1 Ray Norman 41 26 13 2 63.41% 1
1926 2 Jack Watkins # 17 9 7 1 52.94%  
1929 3 Harry Caples # 3 1 1 1 33.33%  
1929 4 George Boddington 13 3 9 1 23.08%  
1930 - 1931 5 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 31 23 8   74.19%  
1932 6 Frank Burge 15 9 6   60.00%  
1933 - 1938   Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 89 64 17 8 71.91% 3
1939 7 Ray Stehr # 14 8 6   57.14%  
1940 8 Dave Brown # 16 11 4 1 68.75% 1
1941   Ray Stehr # 16 10 6   62.50%  
1942 9 Joe Pearce # 16 9 7   56.25%  
1943   Dave Brown 14 4 10   28.57%  
1944   Joe Pearce 14 4 10   28.57%  
1945   Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 16 13 3   81.25% 1
1946   Ray Stehr # 14 8 6   57.14%  
1947   Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 18 5 12 1 27.78%  
1948 10 Percy Williams 18 7 9 2 38.89%  
1949   Ray Stehr 18 3 14 1 16.67%  
1950 - 1952 11 Ernie Norman 54 22 32   40.74%  
1953 12 Col Donohoe # 19 10 8 1 52.63%  
1954 13 Ferris Ashton # 18 3 14 1 16.67%  
1955 - 1956 14 Frank O'Connor 36 13 21 2 36.11%  
1957 - 1959   Dave Brown 54 23 31   42.59%  
1960 15 Dick Dunn 23 14 9   60.87%  
1961 16 Terry Fearnley # 10 6 4   60.00%  
1961 - 1963   Dick Dunn 44 15 27 2 34.09%  
1964 17 Nat Silcock # 18 2 16   11.11%  
1965 - 1966 18 Bert Holcroft 36 3 32 1 8.33%  
1967 - 1968 19 Jack Gibson 46 27 16 3 58.70%  
1969 20 Loius Neumann # 22 8 13 1 36.36%  
1970 - 1972 21 Don Furner 69 40 27 2 57.97%  
1973 22 Tony Paskins 22 12 10   54.55%  
1974 - 1976   Jack Gibson 73 56 16 1 76.71% 2
1977 - 1978 23 Arthur Beetson # 47 29 17 1 61.70%  
1979 24 Bob Fulton # 22 9 12 1 40.91%  
1980 - 1982   Bob Fulton 78 48 26 4 61.54%  
1983 - 1984 25 Laurie Freier 51 19 30 2 37.25%  
1985 - 1988   Arthur Beetosn 97 42 48 7 43.30%  
1989 - 1990 26 Russell Fairfax 36 11 23 2 30.56%  
1990 27 Barry 'Bunny' Reilly 2 1 1   50.00%  
1990 28 Hugh McGahan # 6 3 3   50.00%  
1991 - 1994 29 Mark Murray 80 35 42 3 43.75%  
1994   Arthur Beetson 8 3 5   37.50%  
1995 - 1999 30 Phil Gould 124 76 46 2 61.29%  
2000 - 2001 31 Graham Murray 57 31 25 1 54.39%  
2002 - 2006 32 Ricky Stuart 130 78 51 1 60.00% 1
2007 33 Chris Anderson 16 5 11   31.25%  
2007 - 2009 34 Brad Fittler 58 25 32 1 43.10%  
2010 - 2012 35 Brian Smith 76 35 40 1 46.05%  
2013 -     36 Trent Robinson 311 197 114   63.34% 3
# Player/Coach

Multiple First Grade Coaching Stints (Men)

Coach
No.
Name Club Coaching Years Stints Games
Coached
W L D % Titles
5 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 1930 - 1931,
1933 - 1938,
1945, 1947
4 154 105 40 9 68.18% 4
7 Ray Stehr 1939, 1941,
1946, 1949 
4 62 29 32 1 46.77%  
8 Dave Brown 1940, 1943,
1957 - 1959
3 84 38 45 1 45.24% 1
9 Joe Pearce 1942, 1944 2 30 13 17   43.33%  
15 Dick Dunn 1960, 1961 - 1963 2 67 29 36 2 43.28%  
19 Jack Gibson 1967 - 1968,
1974 - 1976
2 119 83 32 4 69.75% 2
23 Arthur Beetson 1977 - 1978,
1985 - 1988, 1994
3 152 74 70 8 48.68%  
24 Bob Fulton 1979, 1980 - 1982 2 100 57 38 5 57.00%  

Most Games As First Grade Coach (Men)

Name Coach
No.
Games
Coached
W L D Win
%
Club Coaching
Career Span
Stints Seasons Titles
Trent Robinson 36 311 197 114   63.34% 2013 -     1 12 3
Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 5 154 105 40 9 68.18% 1930 - 1947 4 10 4
Arthur Beetson 23 152 74 70 8 48.68% 1977 - 1994 3 7  
Ricky Stuart 32 130 78 51 1 60.00% 2002 - 2006 1 5 1
Phil Gould 30 124 76 46 2 61.29% 1995 - 1999 1 5  
Jack Gibson 19 119 83 32 4 69.75% 1967 - 1976 2 5 2
Bob Fulton 24 100 57 38 5 57.00% 1979 - 1982 2 4  

Extended Men's Coaching Staff

(NRL Era: 1998 -    )

Season Head Coach NRL Assistant Coaches NSW Cup Coach Senior Youth Coach
1998 Phil Gould - - - Arthur Kitinas ^ Brian Gray * ~
1999 Phil Gould - - - Arthur Kitinas < Brian Gray *
2000 Graham Murray   Grant Jones   Arthur Kitinas < Brian Gray *
2001 Graham Murray   Grant Jones   Arthur Kitinas < Brian Gray *
2002 Ricky Stuart John Cartwright Dean Pay   John Cartwright < Dean Pay *
2003 Ricky Stuart John Cartwright Ivan Cleary   Ivan Cleary > Brian Gray * ~
2004 Ricky Stuart John Cartwright Ivan Cleary   Ivan Cleary > Shane Flanagan *
2005 Ricky Stuart John Cartwright Shane Flanagan   Shane Flanagan > Jim Dymock *
2006 Ricky Stuart Jim Dymock Shane Flanagan   Paul Young (NT) > Jim Dymock *
2007 Chris Anderson
Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Paul Young
James Pickering   Paul Young (NT) > James Pickering *
2008 Brad Fittler Paul Young Adrian Lam   Greg Matterson (NT) Adrian Lam #
Scott Murray #
2009 Brad Fittler Paul Young Adrian Lam   Greg Matterson (NT) Scott Murray #
2010 Brian Smith Trent Robinson Rohan Smith   Greg Matterson (NT) Scott Murray #
2011 Brian Smith Brandon Costin
(né Pearson)
Rohan Smith   Greg Matterson (NT) Jason Taylor #
2012 Brian Smith Craig Fitzgibbon Rohan Smith Matthew Elliott Greg Matterson (NT) Jason Taylor #
2013 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Jason Taylor Paul Green Greg Matterson (NT) Paul Green #
2014 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Jason Taylor Steve McNamara Greg Matterson (NT) Adam Hartigan #
2015 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Justin Holbrook Steve McNamara Robert 'Rip' Taylor (WY) Adam Hartigan #
2016 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Justin Holbrook Steve McNamara Robert 'Rip' Taylor (WY) Anthony Barnes #
2017 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Justin Holbrook
Jason Taylor
Matt King Robert 'Rip' Taylor (WY) Anthony Barnes #
2018 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Jason Taylor Matt King Robert 'Rip' Taylor (WY) Anthony Barnes *
2019 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Adam O'Brien Matt King Jason Taylor (NS) Anthony Barnes *
2020 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Nathan Cayless Matt King Jason Taylor (NS) Anthony Barnes *
2021 Trent Robinson Craig Fitzgibbon Nathan Cayless Matt King Jason Taylor (NS) Anthony Barnes *
2022 Trent Robinson Jason Ryles Brett Morris Matt King Jason Taylor (NS) Anthony Barnes *
2023 Trent Robinson Jason Ryles
Boyd Cordner &
Jake Friend
Brett Morris Matt King Jason Taylor (NS) &
Anthony Barnes (SR)
Dean Feeney *
2024 Trent Robinson Boyd Cordner Justin Holbrook Matt King Brett Morris David Swann *

^ President's Cup

< First Division

> Premier League

NT - Newtown, WY - Wyong, NS - North Sydney, SR - Sydney Roosters

* Jersey Flegg Cup

# National Youth Competition

~ Jersey Flegg competition run as a junior representative (Under 19s) competition

Premiership Winning Coaches

Season Coach
1911 -
1912 -
1913 -
1923 Ray Norman
1935 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway
1936 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway
1937 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway
1940 Dave Brown #
1945 Arthur 'Pony' Halloway
1974 Jack Gibson
1975 Jack Gibson
2002 Ricky Stuart
2013 Trent Robinson
2018 Trent Robinson
2019 Trent Robinson
# Captain/Coach

Multiple Premiership Winning Coaches

Coach Titles As
Coach
  Premiership Seasons  
Arthur 'Pony' Halloway 4   1935 1936 1937 1945            
Trent Robinson 3               2013 2018 2019  
Jack Gibson 2           1974 1975        

 

Acknowledgement of Country

Sydney Roosters respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.