Simon Woolford

{{short description|Australian RL coach and former rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Simon Woolford{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/bacteria-to-grow-at-storm/story-e6frfgbo-1111115217127|title=Melbourne Storm poaches promising junior|date=31 December 2007|first=James|last=Hooper|publisher=Herald Sun|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614051042/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/bacteria-to-grow-at-storm/story-e6frfgbo-1111115217127 |archive-date=14 June 2011 }}

|fullname = Simon Woolford

|image = Simon Woolford.jpg

|image_size =

|image_upright = 0.75

|position = {{Rlp|HK}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|04|07|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Young, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|178|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|90|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|club1 = Canberra Raiders

|year1start = 1994

|year1end = 06

|appearances1 = 234

|tries1 = 35

|goals1 = 1

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 142

|club2 = St. George Illawarra

|year2start = 2007

|year2end = 08

|appearances2 = 28

|tries2 = 1

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 4

|teamA = NSW Country

|yearAstart = 2002

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 1

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|coachteam1 = {{nowrap|Huddersfield Giants}}

|coachyear1start = 2018

|coachyear1end = 20

|coachgames1 = 48

|coachwins1 = 23

|coachdraws1 = 0

|coachlosses1 = 25

|new = yes

|source = {{Cite web |url=http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Simon_Woolford.html |title=Simon Woolford at the Rugby League Project |access-date=1 January 2008 |archive-date=22 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722114118/http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Simon_Woolford.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/simon-woolford/summary.html |title=Rugby League Project Coaches |access-date=29 July 2018 |archive-date=29 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729141717/http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/simon-woolford/summary.html |url-status=live }}

| updated = 11 September 2024

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father =

| spouse =

| relatives = Zac Woolford (son)

| education =

| known_for =

}}

Simon Woolford (born 7 April 1975) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who was most recently the head coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League, and a former professional rugby league footballer.

He played in the NRL for the Canberra Raiders and the St. George Illawarra Dragons, and represented Country in the City vs Country Origin match in 2002.

Background

Woolford was born in Young, New South Wales, Australia.

Playing career

He played for the Canberra Raiders and St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. He primarily played as a {{Rlp|HK}}. He made his first grade debut for Canberra on 29 May 1994 in round 11 of the season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/Mi0xMjgtNC0tLS0tLTcwMC0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0=|title = Custom Match List – Rugby League Project}} He played for NSW Country in the City vs Country Origin match in 2002.

Coaching career

Woolford coached the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Rugby League competition. In 2015 he was suspended for nine months after breaking the window of the coaching box. This was later overturned in a retrial and a suspended sentence of 3 months was handed out.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/simon-woolford-handed-suspended-sentence-at-seiffert-oval-broken-window-retrial-20150924-gju8dm.html |title=Simon Woolford handed suspended sentence at Seiffert Oval |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 2015 |accessdate=24 September 2015 |archive-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425183814/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/simon-woolford-handed-suspended-sentence-at-seiffert-oval-broken-window-retrial-20150924-gju8dm.html |url-status=live }} In 2016, Woolford began coaching the Newcastle Intrust Super Premiership NSW side and in 2017 took the club to the finals.{{Cite web|url = http://www.totalrl.com/who-is-simon-woolford-totalrl-takes-a-look-at-the-man-tipped-to-become-the-next-head-coach-of-huddersfield/|title = Who is Simon Woolford? TotalRL takes a look at the man tipped to become the next head coach of Huddersfield|date = 20 April 2018|access-date = 4 July 2018|archive-date = 4 July 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180704213000/http://www.totalrl.com/who-is-simon-woolford-totalrl-takes-a-look-at-the-man-tipped-to-become-the-next-head-coach-of-huddersfield/|url-status = live}}

On 29 April 2018 Woolford was announced as the head coach of Huddersfield Giants in Super league on a two-and-a-half-year deal.{{Cite news|url=https://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/simon-woolford-new-huddersfield-giants-14590106|title=Simon Woolford is new Giants head coach on two-and-a-half year contract|last=Booth|first=Mel|date=2018-04-30|work=huddersfieldexaminer|access-date=2018-04-30|archive-date=30 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430181714/https://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/simon-woolford-new-huddersfield-giants-14590106|url-status=live}} He took over form Chris Thorman, who had been in charge on an interim basis following the sacking of Rick Stone earlier in the season.

At the start of the 2020 Super League season, it was announced that Woolford would be departing Huddersfield at the end of the campaign. On 16 September 2020, Woolford resigned from Huddersfield with immediate effect after a poor run of results.{{cite web|url=https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1800/season-review-huddersfield-giants/|title=Huddersfield Giants season review|website=superleague.co.uk|access-date=22 April 2021|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422192030/https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1800/season-review-huddersfield-giants/|url-status=live}}

References

Sources

{{cite book| last1=Whiticker|first1=Alan|last2=Hudson|first2=Glen|title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players|year=2007

|publisher=Gary Allen Pty Ltd|location=Wetherill Park, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-877082-93-1|page=609}}

External links

[https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/newcastle-knights/simon-woolford/ Newcastle Knights profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070330001059/http://www.dragons.com.au/locker_room/player_profiles/Simon_Woolford.asp Simon Woolford's Profile]

{{s-aft|after = {{nowrap|Clinton Schifcofske}}}}

{{Succession box

| before = {{nowrap|Chris Thorman}}
2018

| after = {{nowrap|Luke Robinson}}
(interim)
2020

| title = Coach
{{leagueicon|huddersfield|size=18}}
{{nowrap|Huddersfield Giants}}

| years = 2018–2020

}}

Category:1975 births

Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England

Category:Living people

Category:Australian rugby league coaches

Category:Australian rugby league players