Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George has today announced head coach Nathan Brown’s departure and confirmed current assistant coach Stacey Jones will take over the role for the rest of the 2022 NRL season.
The decision leaves Jones in charge for the last 11 rounds of the campaign starting with Sunday’s game against Cronulla Sutherland.
“Nathan told us he had made a personal decision that for family reasons he wouldn’t be able to relocate to New Zealand as originally planned for the long term,” said George.
“We fully appreciate his position and the call he has made.
“Given those circumstances we agreed we needed to make an immediate change.
“It’s tough for everyone involved but, in the best interests of the club, we felt we had to go in a different direction now.
“Nathan has worked so hard for our club and we are extremely disappointed it has come to this. We’re truly grateful for what he has done and wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”
Jones (46) steps into the position after being involved with the club in playing and coaching roles for all but a few years of its existence.
“Stacey’s love of the club and knowledge of it is unparalleled. He has been on the inside of it for close to 25 years,” said George.
“We’ll be giving him, staff and players all the support possible for the rest of the season.”
Jones played his entire 261-game NRL career with the Vodafone Warriors from 1995-2005 and then again in 2009 following two years with Les Catalans in the Super League in 2006 and 2007.
After a part-time coaching role with the Vodafone Warriors in 2008 and his comeback year in 2009, he returned as the club’s pathways manager in 2013 before coaching the Vodafone Junior Warriors to the 2014 NYC premiership title. In 2015 and 2016 he guided the club’s New South Wales Cup side to the finals each season.
He has been in an NRL assistant coach’s position since 2017 apart from last year when he returned home to work with the club’s Sky Sport Future Warriors programme before heading back to Australia to re-join the NRL squad’s coaching staff this season.
George said the club appreciated Jones stepping in to take up the role on an interim basis.
He added he would now work with owner Mark Robinson on an agreed process to appoint a new head coach.
STACEY JONES |
|
|---|---|
| Born | May 7, 1976 |
| Birthplace | Auckland, NZ |
| Coaching career | |
| Current position | Vodafone Warriors interim head coach |
| Previous roles | Vodafone Warriors assistant NRL coach 2017-2020 and 2022 Sky Sport Future Warriors pathways coach 2021 Kiwi assistant coach 2018-2022 Vodafone Warriors NSW Cup coach 2015-2016 Vodafone Junior Warriors NYC coach 2014 Vodafone Warriors junior recruitment and pathways coach 2013 Auckland Rugby League football development officer 2012 Point Chevalier Pirates 2010-2011 Vodafone Warriors skills coach 2008 |
| Playing record | |
| Junior clubs | Ponsonby-Maritime, Pt Chevalier (Auckland) |
| NRL | Vodafone Warriors 1995-2005, 2009 |
| Club No | 24 |
| NRL debut | Vodafone Warriors v Parramatta, Parramatta Stadium, Sydney, April 23, 1995 (Round 7) |
| NRL career | 261 appearances 1995-2005, 2009 |
| NRL points | 674 (77 tries, 176 goals, 14 field goals) |
| Super League | Les Catalans Dragons 2006-2007 |
| Super League debut | Les Catalans v Wigan, Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan, February 11, 2006 (Round 1) |
| Super League career | 45 appearances 2006-2007 |
| Super League points | 133 (11 tries, 43 goals, 3 field goals) |
| Kiwi No | 665 |
| Test debut | v Tonga, Warrington, October 8, 1995 (World Cup) |
| Test career | 46 Tests for Kiwis, 1995-2006; 6 Tests as captain 2002 and 2006 |
| Test points | 160 (16 tries, 47 goals, 2 field goals) |
| Awards | National Rugby League Hall of Fame 2019 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame 2015 New Zealand Rugby League team of the century 2007 Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit 2006 Vodafone Warriors life membership 2005 Golden Boot Award 2002 New Zealand Player of the Year 1991, 1992, 2002 Vodafone Warriors Player of the Year 1997 |
