SDRC – 2024 Head Coach announcement

Southern Districts Rugby Club is excited to announce the appointment of Joe Barakat to the role of Head Coach for the 2024 season.

 Joe’s appointment heralds the return of one of the club’s Favourite Sons, having played and coached with St George and Southern Districts during his long and successful career. More than that Joe embodies the Rebels spirit, and was in fact the very first Club Captain of the merged Southern Districts club in 1989.

 Joe also happens to be one of the most successful rugby coaches to have come from our club, with coaching roles at every level of the game from 1st XV schoolboy rugby, junior academies, Shute Shield, Super Rugby, and international experience with NTT and Toshiba in Japan, and the famous Ulster club in Northern Ireland.

 The key areas of expertise Joe brings align with the heart and soul of Southern Districts Rugby – focus on defence, set piece and forwards attack.

 Club President Brad Devine said: “On behalf of the Southern Districts Rugby community I’d like to welcome Joe home. We believe this is a significant step in the journey we are undertaking to re-establish this great club’s reputation in Sydney Rugby. We are also excited to support Joe’s desire to mentor the next generation of Southern Districts coaches and players as we re-envision the future of the club”.

 Joe added: “I have always wanted to come home and coach my old club, but circumstances never allowed this to happen. This opportunity allows me to work with the players and coaches to change the fortunes of this great Club in the South. It will be a challenge, but the good people already at the club deserve better results and delivering these will be satisfying”.

 The Rebels look forward with great anticipation to 2024, and seeing the great work done off field in recent times beginning to show in strong results across the grades under Joe’s guidance.