Michael Maguire will have a chance to put himself up there with South Sydney's greatest coaches after signing a new deal with the NRL club to keep him at the Rabbitohs until the end of 2019.
By the time his new deal is finished, he will have coached Souths for eight years, equal with Jack Rayner, who won five premierships.
They're behind only the great Clive Churchill, who coached for 10 years and won four titles, and Charlie Lynch, who coached the Rabbitohs for 11 years in the 1920s and '30s, winning four titles.
Maguire broke the club's premiership drought in 2014 and made the finals again the following year.
But despite beginning the year bringing back Sam Burgess from rugby union, the Rabbitohs never really managed to get things together on the field in 2016.
A raft of injuries, poor form from key players and rumours that NSW State of Origin halfback Adam Reynolds wanted out of the club plagued the red and greens' campaign, and they finished a disappointing 12th.
However, chief executive Shane Richardson says Maguire is the man to turn that around.
"Our club has been working hard to sign our elite player group for the long term to create stability and Michael's signing gives us a great leader to lead this group of young men to the top," Richardson said.
"He's a fantastic manager of people, has a sharp football brain, is a great family man and we know he is the best coach to take South Sydney forward."
Maguire says the club has become his second home.
"Everyone at this club knows what it takes to be successful, everyone knows the hard work that's in front of them and everyone is hungry to achieve success, and that's something we've built up over the past five years," he said.
"We all want to return to the top end of the ladder and we're dedicated to achieving that this season (2017) and into the future."
