Elliott to coach Panthers
Canberra Raiders coach Matthew Elliott has announced he will be leaving the club at the end of the upcoming National Rugby League season to join Penrith.
Elliott has signed a three-year deal with the Panthers where he will replace 2003 premiership coach John Lang.
He was off contract with the Raiders at the end of this season and was only offered a one-year deal by the club.
Elliott had earlier this week rejected an offer to coach the Newcastle Knights.
He said his decision to join the Panthers was based both on family reasons and the security of the three-year deal.
"It was a decision obviously I didn't take lightly, but when I weighed up both the family side of things and the professional opportunities that were on offer as far as tenure goes, it was an opportunity I felt I had to take," he told ABC radio.
Lang had announced to the Penrith playing and coaching staff this morning that he would not be in charge of the club beyond 2006.
Elliott said the Penrith offer was unexpected, but it was a deal he could not refuse.
"The Penrith opportunity came out of left field," he said.
"It came at the last minute and really when I weighed up the package and the terms and the fact that my family had a desire to move back to Sydney, there are some things you can't say no to."
Elliott said the fact he would be moving to Penrith next year would not affect his commitment to coaching the Raiders this season.
"I feel I owe this club a lot, I'm totally committed to the players I've got and I really believe we're going to shock a lot of people this year," he said.
