David Furner has been sacked as coach of the Canberra Raiders after five seasons in charge.
In a statement on Wednesday, the club said the board made the decision to terminate the coach's contract because "the team's inconsistent performances were not reflective of the talent within the squad."
Canberra paid tribute to Furner, saying he would leave as "one of the Raiders' most loyal and respected figures" and said it was one of the saddest days in the club's history.
Furner, who had 200 games for Canberra as a player, returned to the club as an assistant coach in 2006, and was appointed coach for the 2009 season.
He won 53 games out of 131 as coach of the Raiders, including finals.
Andrew Dunemann has been named interim coach for the remainder of the 2013 season, with the Raiders saying the board would take the necessary time to appoint the best replacement for Furner.
Canberra is ninth on the ladder after 23 rounds, behind the Gold Coast Titans on for and against.
The Raiders have a tough end to the home-and-away season, with a match against Manly in Canberra this weekend, followed by a trip to Auckland to play the Warriors, and a final-round clash with the Sharks at home.
More to follow.