Hull KR assistant on head coach ambitions, the importance of London and what he’d change about rugby league

After two Challenge Cup final defeats as a player, Danny Ward finally tasted Wembley glory when his Hull KR side beat Warrington Wolves 8-6 in the nation’s capital last week. 

After a 12-year playing career from 1999 to 2011, Ward started his coaching journey at the London Broncos, working his way up from academy coach to eventually become the first team boss from 2018-2021.  

In 2023, he returned to a head coach role with Castleford Tigers. After the sackings of Lee Radford and Andy Last, he took control at The Jungle for the final six games of that season. 

He was offered the role for the 2024 season, but turned down the offer to join current club Hull KR as an assistant coach to Willie Peters. 

Speaking to ‘The Bench with Jenna and Jon’, Ward addressed his desire to be a head coach, described the possibility of London’s return, and the importance of reserve and academy matches for the development of younger players. 

Hull KR assistant talks head coach aspirations

Taking an assistant role was always going to be different for Ward, who followed in his father, David’s footsteps of turning to coaching once he retired. 

“I’d like to be head coach, there’s no secret in that. I do miss it at times, but I love being an assistant as well,” Ward explained.

He revealed he spoke to Peters on his ambition, but said he is more than happy where he is now: “I got offered the head coach role at Castleford, but I’ve no problems about being an assistant if it’s a club that is going in the right direction.

“I’m a young coach and I saw the quality of people that were here, the players, the coaches, Willie, Skids [Shaun Kenny-Dowall], Hodgy [David Hodgson], people who I can learn off.”

Ward had been influential in London Broncos’ rise back to the top after their relegation from Super League in 2014. Now, with new investors in Gary Hetherington, he hopes that the Broncos can be back to where they deserve to be. 

“London is still something I’m passionate about, as a person, as a coach and as a rugby fan. 

“The game needs a strong London…You see the way people in Australia are talking and mentioning Super League, they are always mentioning London. London is one of the best cities in the world and the attention that brings has to be successful.”

Stronger reserve comp needed, claims Danny Ward

Ward noted how, when he guided the Broncos to Super League in 2019, the media coverage was significantly different to what they get now. He thinks if they do go back up to the top tier, that can only be a positive thing for the game. 

“I don’t think they should be given a place there [in Super League], they shouldn’t be gifted a place, they have got to earn it. I just think that kind of media attention makes it a national sport.” 

Finally, the Hull KR man discussed his ideas on a segment on the podcast called “off the bench.” This is where the guest will express something they want to see more of in the game, hence coming off the bench, like a substitute.  

He agued: “I want more reserve games and more academy games. We need a proper reserves comp and academy comp and it’s not enough.” 

Working as head coach of the academy sides in London before his stint as first team coach, Ward knows the system needs to change. 

“What they do at the minute is 12-game seasons for academy and 12-game seasons for reserves and that’s just not enough. We’ve got lads who are around that 19-20 age and they’re playing eight games a year.”

“You take that 12-game season, you might be injured in a couple of them, you’ve got a 30-man squad in the academy you might be rotated out so all of a sudden you might be playing eight games a year as an 18–19-year-old kid and it’s stopping us develop a lot of players.”