The North Queensland Cowboys faithful will remember Ty Williams for his prolific try-scoring feats and his headgear, and the man himself is back with the club, this time working with their NRLW department.
Williams, who hailed from Innisfail, played his entire NRL career with the Cowboys – 151 NRL games and 85 tries in the process – returns to the club to mentor the region’s next generation of female players.
With the boom and increase in female participation, junior development and more in the women’s game rife across the country, Williams’ new will coach and develop the next generation to steel them for potential future NRLW stardom.
Williams is no stranger to the coaching world in general, having coached in numerous places including the Northern Pride, an NRL feeder team for the Cowboys.
As expected, the club are excited to have Williams back in two roles as NRLW Assistant coach under Ricky Henry and Development Coach of Women’s Elite Pathways.
“We are delighted to welcome Ty back to the club,” Cowboys Head of NRLW and Women’s Elite Pathways Anita Creenaune said.
“As an ex-Cowboys player from North Queensland, he has been through the development pathways in our organisation.”
“Having someone who has experienced the same journey helping to form our women’s pathways is going to be an enormous asset to our club,” Creenaune said.
“Ty is invested in the women’s game, he has an excellent reputation as a coach and he knows the values of the Cowboys as a club from his time here as a player.”
Williams is looking forward to working alongside Henry with the NRLW team.
“As well as helping Rick with the NRLW team, this role is about ensuring the women within our footprint have the best opportunity to fulfil their potential as well as creating a clear pathway from grassroots rugby league through to the NRLW,” Williams said.
Although Williams was fortunate and thankful to work in the men’s sector, when a chance came to develop the next generation of female players, it was one he could not pass up.
“The future of the female game is exciting,” Williams said.
“I was fortunate to work in the male game as a coach for a long period, but when the opportunity came up to work with the Cowboys in the women’s space it was something I jumped at because I’m passionate about this area and this club.”