Veteran coach Steve Georgallis has locked up his next role, signing a two-year deal to coach the Parramatta Eels' NRLW team and coaching director of the club's elite pathways program.
The deal means he will take over the team in both 2024 and 2025, replacing Dean Widders who endured a miserable time in 2023.
Parramatta's NRLW team won just a single game, finishing at the bottom of the table and conceding a staggering 310 points across their nine games to finissh with a for and against of negative 206.
โI'm really looking forward to connecting with the Eels playing group and working closely with assistant coach Kate Mullaly and the rest of our staff to ensure we build a successful football program next season," he said in a statement confirming the news.
โWestern Sydney is the heart of rugby league and the Parramatta Eels are a big part of that, so it's very exciting to lead the women's program and continue to build on the great work that has already been done in that space.
Georgallis, who was most well known for 148 games as a player with the Western Suburbs Magpies between 1993 and 1999 (as well as 20 more with the Wests Tigers in their inaugural 2000 season), also played 38 games with Eastern Suburbs and had two stints in England with Wakefield Trinity and the Warrington Wolves.
Turning to coaching after his playing career came to an end in 2001, Georgallis first took over the Greek side in 2003 while also returning to Western Suburbs where he coached the SG Ball outfit.
In the NRL, Georgallis has had brief stints in charge of the Penrith Panthers (2011) and Canterbury Bulldogs (2020) as an interim coach, while he has also worked across junior and reserve grade systems, while also spending time as an NRL assistant coach.
He has worked for the Panthers, Wests Tigers, Manly Sea Eagles and Canterbury Bulldogs, who he led to the State Championship in the NSW Cup, before switching to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2021 where he has spent the last three years.
Parramatta CEO Jim Sarantinos said the club will benefit from his appointment.
โSteve brings a wealth of rugby league knowledge and experience that we know our NRLW team will greatly benefit from," Sarantinos said.
โWe have made significant investments in our women's program and we are looking forward to our NRLW program benefiting from the many years of coaching experience and fresh perspective that Steve will bring to the Club."
