Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has been signed by Wayne Bennett to mentor the South Sydney goalkickers in the 2025 NRL season.
Arnold will start working immediately in a coaching capacity to assist Latrell Mitchell and the back-up goalkickers to improve their accuracy.
Mitchell landed 33 from 46 in 11 games last year for a strike rate of 71.74 per cent, well below the best kickers such as Penrith maestro Nathan Cleary who is regularly striking at over 80 per cent.
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Arnold has a high regard for the Rabbitohs as an organisation and a long and close association with Rabbitohs coach Bennett. He credited the mastercoach for his advice before making the tough decision of stepping away from the Socceroos coaching job last year.
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Bennett, who returned to Souths after his stint setting up the Dolphins, wants to improve the Rabbitohs in every facet after their 16th-placed finish last year and told AAP that Arnold was the man for a key role.
“Graham will be doing some work with our goalkickers. He knows what he is talking about,” Bennett told AAP.
“He is a good person and a very good coach. All of our goalkickers can improve. Latrell will be our goalkicker this year but the back-up wasn’t where it should have been last season.
“Graham will work with the back-up goalkickers as well. He will be taking over our goalkickers.”
Arnold has a long history of assisting NRL players with their kicking. He is highly regarded for his wisdom and it is of note that elite goalkickers have sought him out for guidance.
Former Manly skipper Jamie Lyon called on Arnold during the 2013 finals series after his usually reliable boot had let him down in several matches, including landing just two from seven against Melbourne late in the season.
He was kicking at just 67 per cent for the year before Arnold diagnosed that he was laying the ball too flat on the kicking tee. With a few other adjustments to his run-up Lyon landed five from five and then four from four in finals wins over Cronulla and South Sydney respectively, before landing four from five in the grand final against Sydney Roosters.
Latrell Mitchell. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Former Wests Tigers stars Brett Hodgson and Benji Marshall are others Arnold has assisted. Sharp shooter Hodgson often calling on the soccer great to fine-tune his craft.
Throughout his coaching career Bennett has been prepared to delegate responsibilities to those he trusts in order to improve his players.
He appointed former Brisbane Lions gun Daniel Rich as the Dolphins kicking coach most recently. Rich has had a positive influence on the general kicking of rising half Isaiya Katoa in particular.
With Arnold the connection runs deep. The former Socceroos mentor made that clear in September last year when a chat with Bennett convinced him that it was time to move on from the Socceroos,
“I’ve got a great relationship with Wayne and I always have,” he said..
That relationship is set to continue for the benefit of the Rabbitohs.
Roar editor Christy Doran made the trip to Seattle with VisitSeattle.org, diving into the city’s electric sports vibe, outdoor adventures, and renowned food scene. Click here for his latest adventure in the Emerald City.
© AAP