Next year, Steve Georgallis, the caretaker coach of the Penrith Panthers, will continue his coaching career alongside Tim Sheens at Wests Tigers.
Georgallis has received a formal offer from Wests Tigers, and he is expected to finalize a contract soon to serve as Sheens’s right-hand man.
Although he was passed over for the head coaching position at Penrith in favor of Ivan Cleary, Georgallis attracted interest from UK Super League clubs.
Nonetheless, he was not keen to leave the NRL and relocate his young family from Sydney, despite his aspirations to move up from assistant coaching after a lengthy apprenticeship with former Panthers coach Matt Elliott.
With the loss of seasoned assistants Royce Simmons and Steve Folkes, the Tigers were in search of a relatively high-profile understudy for Sheens.
Georgallis mentioned that this deal does not automatically eliminate him from consideration for the open Canterbury-Bankstown position for 2012.
“If a first-grade opportunity arose while I was still an assistant at Wests Tigers, I’m sure they would allow me to pursue it,” Georgallis stated.
“I’m fairly confident about that.”
The NRL currently has one top job available—the Bulldogs position left vacant by Kevin Moore.
When asked if he had spoken with the Bulldogs, Georgallis replied that he hadn’t personally, and he was unsure whether his manager had.
“Clearly, they’re assessing coaches for next year, and if an opportunity comes up, it’s still a possibility,” he said.
Todd Greenberg, the Bulldogs’ chief executive, is casting a wide net to find a replacement for Jim Dymock, planning to interview around a dozen candidates, including New South Wales State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart.
After Mat Elliott’s departure mid-season, Georgallis took charge at the Panthers. Although he was informed that he was auditioning for the head role, Cleary’s appointment as his successor was announced just over a week later.
Georgallis noted that he was only informed about the Tigers position on Tuesday night.
“My manager is reviewing it today, and hopefully we can finalize it within the next week or two,” he said.
“It’s positive news for my family and me.
“It’s a wonderful club, one I’ve been associated with for most of my career, including time with the West Magpies and the first year of the Wests Tigers.
“I’m really excited about returning there.”
