Former Wakefield Trinity, Bradford Bulls star lands new head coaching role in the NRLW
Ben Jeffries in action for Wakefield Trinity in 2007 - Alamy
Former Wakefield Trinity and Bradford Bulls half-back Ben Jeffries has been appointed as the new head coach of Newcastle Knights in the NRLW.
The 43-year-old will start his new role on Monday, with the Knights officially appointing Jeffries as their new head coach on a three-year contract.
Jeffries enjoyed a 12-season playing career in the NRL and Super League between 2001 and 2012, racking up 284 appearances in total across the two competitions.
Having made his NRL debut for St George Illawarra Dragons in 2001, Jeffries went on to play 27 games for Wests Tigers before making the move to England in 2003, where he would spend the rest of his professional playing career.
The Australian playmaker enjoyed two spells each with Wakefield and Bradford, making 170 appearances for Trinity and 85 for the Bulls.
Jeffries left England at the end of the 2012 season to return to Australia to play part-time for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs before hanging up his boots.
The New South Welshman wasted no time to get stuck into coaching in the NRL system, spending time with Newcastle Knights, Northern Pride, North Queensland Cowboys and Townsville Blackhawks.
Jeffries is the current coach of the women’s Indigenous All Stars team as well as the Papua New Guinea Orchids.
He came North Queensland’s inaugural NRLW head coach last season and now he has made the move over to Newcastle.
Newcastle Knights boss delighted to appoint Ben Jeffries as club’s new NRLW coach
On the appointment of Jeffries, Knights director of football Peter Parr said: “Ben is an accomplished coach, with a proven track record in pathways programs.
“This role requires a multi-faceted skill set, as we continue to strive for success on the field, in conjunction with further developing a gold standard pathways program.
“Ben provides us with what we were looking for and we have no doubt the Knights NRLW program will continue to grow under his coaching.”
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