Former Huddersfield Giants boss Simon Woolford has taken on a surprise new role.
Woolford was in charge at the Giants before Ian Watson took the reigns at the end of the 2020 season bringing in wholesale changes.
Woolford was the man who masterminded a famous win over Super League Champions St Helens in 2020 as well as the signing of 2020 Man of Steel nominee Aidan Sezer who formed a terrific partnership with Lee Gaskell which would be broken up by Watson in the years that followed.
The start of the 2020 campaign was brilliant from the Giants but they were perhaps hurt the most by the pandemic. In the first game back as part of the restart following lockdown, the Giants led 26-6 against Leeds Rhinos with 13 minutes to go and were headed top of the league but would lose 27-26.
From there the Giants never recovered and Woolford would eventually leave the club.
In 2023, Woolford enjoyed a second stint at Queanbeyan Blues but has now left to join Macarthur Rugby League in 2024 as the Daily Telegraph confirmed:
“After completing a second coaching stint at the Queanbeyan Blues, Simon Woolford has agreed to terms with Picton in the Macarthur Rugby League for the 2024 season.
“Since hanging up the boots in 2008 after a distinguished 262-game NRL career with the Raiders and Dragons, the former hooker has taken to the clipboard culminating in a three-year stint at Huddersfield in the English Super League.
“The Magpies are the most successful club in the Macarthur competition, and despite missing the finals last season are once again expected to field a strong roster.”
As for his former club the Huddersfield Giants, they are headed for the fourth season under Ian Watson and it has been an up and down tenure in charge for Watson.
The former Salford Red Devils boss made a huge number of high profile signings for 2021 but struggled to find a winning formula finishing outside the top six but in 2022 the Giants would be one of the best sides finishing third and should have really won the Challenge Cup Final.
In 2023, even more big name signings were added but the Giants would struggle and would even be linked with a move for Justin Holbrook.
2024 is a crucial season for Watson and the Giants.
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