Woolf eyes title dream
Chance for success at last
FORMER Cowboys under-20s and Townsville Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf will be out to end a run of grand final heartbreak in tomorrow morning’s English Super League decider.
Woolf’s St Helens outfit takes on Wigan in English rugby league’s biggest game, and hopes are high among North Queensland’s footy community that Woolf can finally secure grand final glory after a pair of near misses throughout the past decade.
In 2011 Woolf was coach of a talented Cowboys under-20s team featuring the likes of Jason Taumalolo, Michael Morgan, Felise Kaufusi and Kyle Feldt, and despite romping through most of the regular season, the side lost its grand final with a gutwrenching golden-point loss.
In 2015 Woolf guided the Townsville Blackhawks to that year’s Queensland Cup decider in the club’s foundation season, and despite entering the final in top form, the Blackhawks were undone by an unorthodox Ipswich Jets.
Former Cowboys under-20s and Blackhawks player Michael ParkerWalshe, who played in both grand finals under Woolf, said Woolf deserved to get his premiership prize.
“He’s walked into one of the biggest jobs in England rugby league and that comes with a lot of pressure,” ParkerWalshe said. “But he’s already experienced pressure like that before.
“There was pressure with the Cowboys under-20s given the team we had, and it was the same with the Blackhawks when he was the inaugural coach of a team with a lot of big players.
“It will be big for all his former players if he gets the win.”
Woolf landed the St Helens job following the departure of former coach Justin Holbrook, who guided St Helens to last year’s Super League premiership.
St Helens finished second on the regular season ladder behind Wigan, who thumped Catalans 48-2 in last week’s semi-finals, but Wigan is also in ominous form after sweeping aside Hull FC 29-2 to book their grand final ticket. Woolf’s team includes former Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote, retiring English international James Graham and EX-NRL star Kevin Naiqama.
The English Super League grand final will be played tomorrow at 6am AEST time.