Ex-Wakefield Trinity and Bradford Bulls star takes on Head Coach role with rival club

Former Wakefield Trinity and Bradford Bulls star Ben Jeffries has left his role as North Queensland Cowboys women’s Head Coach.

This is ahead of him joining Newcastle Knights as their women’s Head Coach in a shock poaching raid by the Knights to bring in their rivals’ head coach.

A highly thought of coach, the Cowboys have confirmed his release with the following statement:

“The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have released NRLW Head Coach Ben Jeffries from his contract, effective immediately.”

The following was then added: “We would like to thank Ben for his service to the club through his roles as both Elite Pathways Coach and most recently NRLW Head Coach,” Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said.

Last year he was working in the Rugby League World Cup and in the UK he made an appearance on BBC Radio Leeds in which he revealed he would be open to coaching in Super League:

“Yes and no, at the moment I’m very happy where I am at but I loved playing here.

“Do I have a passion to come back? I’d love to come back. Does my wife want to come back, she loved every minute of it here, but whether she sees herself coming back that’s another question for another day.”

He also revealed that former Catalans Dragons, St Helens and Bradford Bulls coach Mick Potter had a big influence on his decision to become a coach: “Mick Potter had the biggest influence on me and he said ‘Have you thought about coaching because I think you have the traits to be a coach.'”

The halfback is set for a big year with the Newcastle Knights now but the Cowboys are now back to the drawing board as they try and piece together a big season after this shock departure.

They might not have that many options for the club to consider.