Highly-respected Wyong Roos mentor Craig Sandercock is the new coach of the struggling Wests Tigers’ NRLW outfit.
The Newcastle Rugby League (NEWRL) club’s head of football signed a two-year deal with the two-time reigning wooden spooners following Brett Kimmorley’s decision to step down after three seasons.
A former high school teacher, he guided men’s Super League outfit Hull KR between 2012 and 2014 but did not lead the side to finals.
He returns to Wests in November after serving as an NRL assistant at the Tigers between 2016 and 2019.
Sandercock began his professional coaching career with Manly’s NSW Cup team during its dominance in the late 2000s.
He went on to hold assistant roles at Newcastle, Cronulla and Canterbury.
Sandercock was also female academy coach at the Bulldogs and helped establish their NRLW program ahead of this year’s inaugural season.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work to build systems and standards that promote immediate performance but also support the club’s long-term success,” he said.
The new coach has a lofty task ahead to inspire accomplishments at an organisation that has missed finals every year since entering the premiership in 2023.
Wests have won just once this season, averaging nine points per game in attack.
Thankfully, star players Kezie Apps and Sarah Togatuki remain contracted for Sandercock’s first season as coach.
He’s the second local product to oversee an NRLW squad, following in the footsteps of Ronald Griffiths.
Griffiths guided the Knights to back-to-back titles before eventually linking up with the Warriors in 2025.
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