Premiership-winning Colleges coach moves on
LESS than two months after guiding Griffith University Colleges to a drought-breaking premiership, Graham Herlihy has announced he will step down as coach.
An experienced mentor, Herlihy spearheaded the Knights’ resurgence from the moment he took on the head coach role midway through the 2015 Gold Coast District Rugby Union season. Three successive first grade grand final appearances followed across 2016-18 and in September, they finally turned the tables on Surfers Paradise 24-13 to seal the top grade title for the first time in 22 years.
Soon after that triumph, rumours began to swirl about whether Herlihy would stay on and the 60-year-old has now confirmed that he indeed will not return next season.
“I’m retiring from teaching at the end of this year and my wife and I are going to do some travelling,” he said.
“I have been coaching for so long and I just need a break.
“I think I have left a pretty good legacy there, winning the club championship, winning the minor premiership in all grades, winning the grand final. I feel I have done the job there. It’s probably time.”
Herlihy’s right-hand man Paul “Taffy” Longman will also step aside, with the pair eyeing the opportunity to coach the Gold Coast Cyclones representative squad next year.
He added Colleges should promote from within for their premiership defence.
“I’ll recommend to the club that they appoint Jody Danagher (as head coach),” Herlihy said, while also talking up fellow assistant Matt Petersen.
“He (Danagher) was my forwards coach this year. He won a few premierships with (Gold Coast) Eagles.”
Herlihy’s coaching career began in rugby league at Mackay, where he captain-coached Wests to the 1982 premiership.
Ironically, the club’s next title came this season, coinciding with Herlihy’s Colleges success.
Among his other posts have been the South Queensland Crushers, Easts Tigers and a 15-year tenure as The Southport School rugby defence coach.