Wests Tigers have today confirmed the NRL coaching structure for the 2017 NRL season, with three assistant coaches forming part of a new-look team.
Head Coach Jason Taylor will be joined by Andrew Webster, Paul Stringer and Craig Sandercock for the upcoming season.
The highly-regarded Webster returns to the Club after spending the past two seasons as Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors under Andrew McFadden. Webster coached Wests Tigers’ Holden Cup side to a finals appearance in 2014, while also assisting with NRL duties throughout that season, and brings a wealth of experience to the coaching team.
After a successful season as Head Coach of the Club’s Intrust Super Premiership side in 2016, Stringer will officially take up the position of an Assistant Coach with the NRL squad.
Craig Sandercock will continue his role with Wests Tigers in 2017, with the former Newcastle Assistant Coach implementing a number of successful structures during his first 12 months at the Club.
Sandercock, Stringer and Webster will all have various responsibilities within the new-look coaching structure for the 2017 season.
Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe said one of the key focuses for the Club has been strengthening the resources available to the football department.
“We are delighted to welcome on board Andrew as an Assistant Coach for the 2017 season,” Pascoe said. “He joins Paul who will make the transition from our Intrust Super Premiership side that finished just one game short of the Grand Final.
“Both coaches join Craig (Sandercock) as assistants for the upcoming season and we are really excited with these appointments.
“We believe that this structure will give the NRL side and Head Coach Jason Taylor every chance of success in the upcoming season.
“We have had a big focus on improving our Football Operations over the past 12 months and appointing three assistant coaches is an integral part of that,” he said.
Head Coach Jason Taylor stated his excitement at the new appointments as pre-season training officially gets underway on Monday.
“We are all really excited by the new coaching structure at the Club,” Taylor said. “It’s going to allow us to achieve some really detailed coaching, which is what we’ve been striving for.
“To have an extra Assistant Coach on the roster is going to be make a big difference to the quality of coaching that we can get done and I’m confident it will improve the overall performance of the team.
“Andrew (Webster) has been at the Club before and he is a great young coach who is really committed and passionate.
“Paul (Stringer) has done a great job over the last few years in developing himself to the point where I believe he is ready to step up into this role – I’m really excited by his skillset around the middle of the field from a defensive sense.
“Craig (Sandercock) built up a really great relationship with the players and they really respect his knowledge and coaching ability — he knows the players a lot more now after a season with us which means we can make even more improvements from an attacking perspective.
“Both Paul and Andrew will work hard in the defensive side of things, while Craig will continue with the attack and I will oversee all of it.
“That’s how the most professional Clubs in the competition are run and I’m really excited to be able to have that type of thoroughness across our coaching team,” he said.
Wests Tigers will confirm a number of other new appointments in the football department, including the new Holden Cup and Intrust Super Premiership coaches, over the coming days.
Wests Tigers Assistant Coaches Profiles
CRAIG SANDERCOCK
Previous Appointments: Wests Tigers Assistant Coach (2016-current), Newcastle Knights NRL Assistant Coach (2015), Hull Kingston Rovers Head Coach (2012-14), Newcastle Knights NRL Assistant Coach (2010-11)
PAUL STRINGER
Previous Appointments: Wests Tigers Intrust Super Premiership Head Coach (2016), Wests Tigers Holden Cup Assistant Coach (2015), Wyong Roos Head Coach (2007-14)
ANDREW WEBSTER
Previous Appointments: New Zealand Warriors Assistant Coach (2015-16), Wests Tigers NYC Head Coach (2014), Parramatta NYC Head Coach/NRL Development Coach (2013), Wests Tigers NYC Assistant Coach/Wests Tigers Under-19s Head Coach (2012), Balmain Tigers SG Ball Head Coach (2012), Hull Kingston Rovers Assistant Coach (2009-2011), Hull Kingston Rovers Assistant Coach/Academy Coach (2006-2007), Connecticut Wildcats Player/Coach (2005)
