Two-time women's premiership-winning coach Ronald Griffiths has been secured on a three-year deal to lead the NZ Warriors back into the NRLW next season.
Griffiths, 46, coached the Newcastle Knights to back-to-back NRLW grand final wins in 2022 and 2023 before taking up his current role as Newcastle’s New South Wales Cup coach this season.
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He has also coached the Indigenous All-Stars to consecutive wins over the Māori All-Stars in the last two contests in Rotorua and Townsville.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have Ron joining us for our return to the NRLW,” said Warriors CEO Cameron George.
“It was critical to appoint the best possible coach for this role and we’ve been able to do that. Ron has terrific coaching pedigree and will add tremendous value to our club as we make our way back in the NRLW.”
When Griffiths took over as Newcastle’s NRLW coach in 2022 campaign, the side was coming off a last-placed finish in its debut in the expanded competition in 2021.
Under his guidance the Knights were transformed into a dominant force posting 16 wins and just two losses en route to consecutive premiership triumphs.
“We couldn’t have a better coach to launch our NRLW return,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.
“What Ron did with the Knights in the NRLW over the last two seasons is testament to his ability to build a team from scratch. He’s also passionate about developing our pathways for the women’s game here in New Zealand.”
Griffiths said he was excited about creating a foundation for the future for the women’s game in New Zealand.
“As a family we’re so grateful to be coming over to be involved with a club that has such a proud history,” said Griffiths.
“It’s exciting to start with a blank canvas, having the opportunity to build a women’s programme from the ground up.
"I'll be working closely with the people in pathways to set up a structure that delivers sustainable success for the club and develops players and staff from within for the future."
Raised in the suburb of Woodberry in Maitland in the Hunter Valley, Griffiths is of Australian Indigenous descent, a Gomeroi man who grew up on Awabakal country.
He takes charge of a Warriors side returning to the NRLW after a five-year absence following the Australian Rugby League Commission’s decision to expand the competition to 12 teams.
Also added to the competition were the CanterburBulldogs. The 12 teams in 2025 will be: Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys, NZ Warriors, Parramatta Eels, St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters and the Wests Tigers.
The Warriors were one of four foundation clubs alongside Brisbane, St George Illawarra and the Sydney Roosters when the NRLW was launched in 2018; they played in the competition for the first three seasons before the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact forced them to withdraw.