I don't imagine they'd be allowed to leave without good reason. Sinfield and Furner are wanting (rightly) to put their own stamp on the side and sweep a broom through the old era, and many years of poor recruitment.

The merry go round has started - Maguire to Wests, Cleary to Penrith I suppose.

Furner has not had a head coach job in the NRL since he left Canberra in 2013 so 5 years. Was he ever truly in the frame to take one now or was it just media speculation and stiring the pot just because he is imminently moving to England?

I can see him moving back to an NRL coaching role but that would be on the back of 2/3 years proving himself in SL.

Well to look at simply. This whole thing only came out yesterday. Within 24 hours, we are somehow led to believe that Furner was to be offered the Job at Souths, go against his contract at Leeds, and agree a deal, and whilst that has been happening in the same 24 hours, somehow Souths have managed to agree a deal and appoint a different coach who is currently in a different country working on a test match.

I strongly doubt that somehow Souths have managed to tie up that deal in that manner in 24 hours, and have actually been working on that for much longer.

Agreed. I think if Furner had have been at anytime on Souths radar he wouldn't have signed with us in the first place.

Happy to have him for 2/3 years while Burrow learns his trade and moves up eventually.

To be fair didnt The Mole article say something along the lines of Furner to coach souths in 2019?
As Bennett is only joining them in 2020 I believe so it may possibly have still been accurate and that Souths looked at the possibility of Furner doing a season. Has Seibold taken up the option for 2019 season as yet or Is he still going now regardless.
Something along the lines of:
Souths sign Bennett up. Bennett says won’t come until 2020 as wants to see out contract at Brisbane. Brisbane undecided at that point - Souths explore other options but still want Bennett. Agree to 2020 start but as Seibold thought he was going 2019 they are left with a coach who’s mind is elsewhere or they part ways and find a years cover - who can do this? DF.
Ask DF - DF thinks maybe an option - allegedly quoted as “things happening” maybe asks Leeds if can start a year from now.
GH sees rumours and reminds via press that you are coming to Leeds and players are coming because of you. Now or never etc.
DF commits

The current Souths coach will still be coaching Souths in 2019, but won't sign a deal beyond that, and is widely being tipped to replace Bennett at Brisbane in 2020.

Why do the clubs not agree to a coaching swap immediately for 2019?
If I was the CEO at either club then that would be my preferred choice

Fair enough - I got the impression from an article I read that he was hoping it might be this year - which is maybe where the rumours re DF then came from - but as Bennett wanted to see out his contract and Brisbane have agreed to that then that’s possibly why it’s ended up as is.
Only the protagonists will know at the end of the day .
At least it’s added some drama for a day or so!

Poss Bennett was stumbling block in that he wanted to see out his contract - which to be fair on his service he’s entitled to that opportunity i suppose. Maybe with him being over here for several weeks now made that the best option for him as well rather than going straight into a new job etc
Who knows? I don’t!

I think you will find that will happen after this test series. Seems a crazy position not to happen sooner.

It still wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if all this mischief hadn’t been conjured up by the Sleeve himself. Been great publicity for the club over the last 24 hours, especially with the run up to Saturday and season ticket renewals still up for grabs.

Yes and about those moon landings...

But it’s not been good publicity for the club really (nor bad) making it seem like we might be Furner’s 2nd choice?

I think it’s more likely it was created by Souths or one of the clubs involved in the coaching merry-go-round to push one of the coaches involved to sign up.