Ken Gentle

Ken Gentle is an Australian former rugby league coach for the Western Suburbs Magpies.^[1]

Ken Gentle

Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1984–85 Western Suburbs 48 6 2 40 13

Gentle served his coaching apprenticeship with Kiama, which he guided to a premiership in 1969.^[2] He had charge of Canterbury-Bankstown junior sides during the 1970s, culminating in SG Ball and Jersey Flegg premierships in 1978 and 1979 respectively. Following a stint with the Western Suburbs under-23s and reserves, Gentle returned to Canterbury in 1983, to coach their reserves team.^[3]

At the end of the 1983 season, Gentle took over from Len Stacker as first-grade coach of Western Suburbs. He was appointed during a tumultuous pre-season, losing several of his players to rival clubs as the result of a decision by the NSWRL, later reversed, to omit them from the competition. Before they were re-admitted, Gentle had been set to return to Canterbury's reserves. He led the Magpies for two seasons, then in 1986 was replaced by Steve Ghosn.^[3]

Gentle's son Peter Gentle played for St. George and was an acting head coach of the Brisbane Broncos.^[4]