Coaching gig excites Donald

When the Covid-19 pandemic threatened to shut down the 2020 NRL season, Brad Donald was only to happy to ditch his clipboard and whistle for a thermometer and sanitising wipes.

The Australian Jillaroos coach spent most of this year working as a biosecurity protocol compliance officer at NRL matches, ensuring players and staff are meeting guidelines.

Donald has put his hand up again to help out for the NRLW season, but in a more traditional capacity.

The 2017 World Cup-winning mentor is caretaker coach of the Warriors’ NRLW team for their 2020 campaign after Slade Griffin was unable to commit to a move to Australia for the competition.

Since his appointment in late August, Donald has patched together a squad boasting just five New Zealand-based players and including Jillaroos five-eighth Kirra Dibb, Olympic gold-medal winning rugby sevens star Ellia Green and a variety of others from NSW and Queensland.

Despite the obstacles, Donald has relished the opportunity to get back into coaching.

‘‘Taking people’s temperature and wiping people’s shoes on game day . . . I’ve been really fortunate enough to be involved in this game for a long time and I wanted to be an example of somebody who would do anything to get the game going again,’’ Donald said.

The Warriors’ first game is against Brisbane on Saturday. –