At least two NRL assistant coaches are reportedly in the mix to take over from Paul Wellens, with the St Helens RLFC head coach likely to depart the club sooner rather than later.
After winning three consecutive premierships under now-Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf, the Saints have seemed to struggle in recent times under Wellens and currently sit mid-table behind the Wigan Warriors, Hull Kingston Rovers, Leigh Leopards and Leeds Rhinos.
Losing three of their last four matches, reports have emerged from overseas and in Australia that the English coach is on borrowed time and the club are looking at possible replacements to succeed him.
According to The Courier-Mail, assistant coaches Ben Hornby (Rabbitohs) and Josh Hannay (Sharks) are just two options that have been suggested to succeed Wellens and take over the head coaching reins.
"First and foremost, I am a St Helens boy myself, so I understand the disappointment when the team isn't winning and quite naturally that adds to a lot of frustration," Wellens said recently.
"But what I'm here to do is support the players to try and get the best out of them.
"Ultimately, I know that the results stop with me, and that was the case at the back end of 2022 when I first took the job. And that's not changed from day one to where I am now."
Beginning his coaching career in 2012 after hanging up the boots on his playing career, Hornby has been at the South Sydney Rabbitohs for more than half a decade and has worked as an assistant under Wayne Bennett and Jason Demetriou.
Named the interim head coach at the Rabbitohs last season after Demetriou's sacking, Hornby won six out of 17 matches with an injury-plagued squad and has been earmarked to take over from Bennett once he moves on.
On the other hand, Hannay has been linked with several head coaching jobs over the past 18 months, including the St George Illawarra Dragons, Parramatta Eels, Brisbane Broncos and Perth Bears.
Currently the assistant coach of the Cronulla Sharks and QLD Maroons, Hannay is regarded as a future head coach for some time and is likely to be given the opportunity to showcase his ability in the coming years.
