Joe Barakat came out of retirement to lead Southern Districts in 2024 and help the club rediscover its DNA. 

While results were mixed this season, the retiring coach is full of optimism for the club’s future and he’s hoping rugby fans from around Sydney can help out to get Souths back to where they belong. 

Overview with Joe Barakat:

“I got thrust into the job for the 2024 season and it wasn't something that I was planning on doing. The head coach role anyway,” Barakat said after returning from the European vacation he postponed to coach Souths this year. 

“My job was to try and shift the culture at the club because it had been taken over by mercenaries for the last five years and there was very little culture left. The place was just filled with players putting their hands out. 

“My job was to try and get the club back to a place where people wanted to be here for the right reasons and not necessarily just for the financial gain.