Wigan head coach Michael Maguire has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season to join NRL side South Sydney.
Australian heading home to coach Rabbitohs in 2012
Wigan head coach Michael Maguire has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season.
The Australian has decided to accept an offer to join Australian side South Sydney from 2012, confirming rumours that had been circulating in the game for more than a week.
The 37-year-old joined Wigan from Melbourne and won the Super League at the first attempt last season.
Wigan issued a statement reading: "We thank Michael for his efforts in 2010 and in leading Wigan to win the League Leaders trophy and the Grand Final. We look forward to a second successful season under Michael in 2011."
Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan admitted it was never an option to deny Maguire permission to return to the NRL.
"The first we knew of it was Michael talking to us about the possibility 10 days ago and I asked him to keep me informed," he said.
"There was no question of releasing him and it's not at all acrimonious. We rate Michael highly and we get on with him well.
"We understand he wishes to go back to Australia and we would not stand in his way. We're looking forward, now the news is out, to having a good season."
Speculation
Maguire is determined to leave Wigan on a high, but admitted: "It was extremely hard. We have been able to build a great team in my time here and this team will definitely be taking things forward for Wigan.
"We managed to get on the big stage against St George and that's where Wigan deserve to be.
"The speculation has been going a long time, a hell of a long time, but over the last couple of days it became real and I choose for personal reasons and a lot of things that it was the right time to make the decision.
"The players are a great bunch and I really enjoy coaching them. They have worked so hard to achieve where we are and we are going to try and achieve a lot more this year."
Successor
Meanwhile, Maguire has nominated Shaun Wane as his successor. Wane, who was appointed as Maguire's full-time assistant 18 months ago, is the front-runner to take over.
Other candidates in the frame could be former Wigan scrum-half Adrian Lam, ex-St Helens forward David Fairleigh and Wigan legend - now Wasps coach - Shaun Edwards, but Maguire would have no hesitation in pushing the claims of former Great Britain forward Wane.
"Without a doubt," he said. "He's helped build what we've done. He's dedicated and he's a great candidate.
"The systems are in place here and there are some really good people that work with me. At some point we'll sit down and go through the opportunities."
