Rip Taylor will coach the season out at Kurri Kurri but will depart the Newcastle Rugby League club just one year into a three-year deal.
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Interim Kurri Kurri president Daryl Chapman said the decision to part ways came because it just simply "wasn't working out" amid another difficult year.
The Bulldogs remain winless and dead last in 2024, and have not won a game in more than two years.
Taylor, with one of the most successful coaching resumes outside NRL level, arrived at the club late last year and brought renewed hope with his experience and a long list of players he had previously coached to try and call upon.
The Bulldogs landed arguably the competition's big signing in years in former Australian international Blake Ferguson, but the star outside-back played just one game before an acrimonious exit for off-field issues.
There was plenty of optimism about the campaign ahead after Kurri's season-opening 25-24 loss to Wyong at Magic Round, but it's been a hard slog since.
An inspired 28-all draw with arch rivals Cessnock is as close as the Bulldogs have come to a victory.
They've conceded more than 50 points on five occasions, and were pumped 68-10 last week by the Goannas in their biggest loss this year.
"It just wasn't working out for us," Chapman said.
"He'll finish out the year."
Asked if it was a club call to move Taylor on or whether the mentor himself made the decision, Chapman said it was "a bit of both".
Taylor was contacted for comment.
"It's been a tough year," Chapman said. "We had dramas to the start the season."
Kurri advertised for a new head coach for 2025 last week and have been pleased with the initial response.
Chapman said there was local interest and also from further afield. Ex-Macquarie mentor Steve Kidd has been mooted as a replacement.
Kurri haven't ruled out a captain-coach. Applications close Monday, August 5.
The club hopes to appoint a new mentor "sooner rather than later", said Chapman, who is stepping up from vice president after Shaun Collingwood vacated the role.
It doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs of 2024, who host South Newcastle at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground from 3pm on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Maitland are at home to Macquarie and Northern take on Lakes at Tomaree Sports Ground from 5pm.
On Sunday, Wests return to Harker Oval for the first time since late April to face Cessnock at 3pm, while Central meet The Entrance at St John Oval from 3.15pm in a fourth-against-fifth battle.
POINTS TABLE: Maitland (23), South Newcastle (22), Cessnock, The Entrance (19), Central (18), Lakes United, Western Suburbs (13), Wyong (12), Northern, Macquarie (6), Kurri Kurri (3).
