Challenge Cup final hero lands coaching role with NRL club

Brayden Wiliame, who scored the winning try for Catalans Dragons in the 2018 Challenge Cup final, has been named as the new head coach of Canterbury Bulldogs’ NRLW side.

Nine-time Fiji international Wiliame had donned a shirt for both Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles Down Under before linking up with Catalans ahead of the 2017 campaign.

Over the three seasons which followed, he scored 35 tries in 77 appearances for the Dragons, including the one that ensured they’d beat Warrington Wolves 20-14 under the famous Wembley arch in 2018.

Departing Super League at the end of the 2019 campaign, the Gosford-born back went on to represent both St George Illawarra Dragons and New Zealand Warriors in the NRL, sandwiching a stint back in France with rugby union outfit USA Perpignan.

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2018 Challenge Cup final hero Brayden Wiliame lands coaching role with NRL club

Now 32, Wiliame hung up his boots at the end of the 2023 campaign and moved into a ‘pathways and wellbeing’ role with the Warriors which he’s held for the last 18 months or so.

But ahead of the 2025 NRLW campaign starting in July, he’s now landed his first coaching gig – at the helm of the Bulldogs‘ women.

The dual-code ace’s appointment was announced by the club on Monday morning. Phil Gould, their General Manager of Football, said: “Brayden comes to the Bulldogs with valuable experience from his playing career.

“His understanding of the game at an elite level provides him with unique insights that will benefit our women’s programme tremendously.

“We believe Brayden’s combination of on-field experience and his dedicated work in player development makes him the ideal candidate to lead our NRLW programme forward.

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