St Helens coach misses out on job Down Under as former Hull KR boss appointed
Craig Sandercock (circle) was in charge of Hull KR from 2012 to 2014
St Helens Women’s boss Derek Hardman has missed out on the head coach role at NRLW outfit Wests Tigers, with Craig Sandercock appointed instead.
Earlier this month, Wests announced that Brett Kimmorley – who had been in charge since their induction into the NRLW in 2023 – would be stepping down from his role at the end of the campaign.
Soon after that announcement, it emerged that Hardman had thrown his hat in the ring to fill that vacancy having submitted a formal application for the role.
Having been involved with Saints for more than a decade, Hardman is currently in his second stint as head coach of their women’s side, holding the role jointly this time with Craig Richards.
Hardman has missed out on the role at Wests though, with the Tigers announcing former Hull KR boss Sandcock’s appointment.
St Helens coach misses out on job Down Under as former Hull KR boss appointed
Sandercock – who enjoyed a stint with London Broncos during his playing career – spent two-and-a-half years at the helm of the Robins, taking charge ahead of the 2012 campaign and departing midway through 2014.
Going on to spend time as an assistant coach for NRL sides Newcastle Knights and Canterbury Bulldogs, his experience in the women’s game stems from heading up the Bulldogs’ NRLW team, departing that role in May 2024.
Since then, he has headed up community side Wyong Roos, but will now return to the women’s game Down Under.
As his appointment was announced, Sandercock said: “It’s a privilege to be able to lead Wests’ NRLW programme and I’m grateful to Shane (Richardson, CEO) and Charmain (Steventon, Head of Women’s Football) for their support.
“It’s exciting to be involved in such a new programme, which I feel has fantastic potential given the club’s established talent and young players coming through the Pathways.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work to build systems and standards that promote immediate performance but also support the club’s long-term success.”
The Tigers finished bottom of the NRLW in 2025, winning just one of their 11 games.
Wests’ CEO Richardson added: “There was a significant amount of interest in this role. We went through a rigorous recruitment process with a very strong field of candidates.
“Craig’s had a lot of experience coaching at the highest level – h’’s worked alongside some of the best coaches in our game – and has a proven track record at implementing systems and structures.
“He’ll be a fantastic addition to our club and will fit in well with the existing staff and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact he can have on our NRLW programme.”
Head of Women’s Football, Steventon, said: “It’s fantastic to have a coach of Craig’s calibre leading our NRLW programme, not only because of vast amount of experience he brings, but in particular his recent work in the women’s game.
“We were clear on the attributes and overall profile of our NRLW head coach and went through a detailed process – with key contributions from across the club – to understand the leadership our programme needs to get us to where we want to be.
“Following our conversations with Craig, it was clear that he would bring the technical experience, temperament and overall coaching philosophy that aligned with the club’s vision and values.”
