Incumbents joined by one new face among Warriors' pathways coaches

One new face among club's 2025 pathways coaches

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Fri 17 Jan 2025, 03:49 PM

David Tangata-Toa, Grant Pocklington and TJ Ashford again fill head coaching roles for One New Zealand Warriors pathways teams this year while successful development coach Shannon Rushworth will guide the club’s SG Ball Cup (under-19) side.

The experienced Tangata-Toa returns for a second season as the club’s New South Wales Cup head coach – and NRL transition coach – after a 2024 campaign which saw the Warriors make the playoffs in fourth spot.

He was then on Tonga’s coaching staff for the Pacific Championships, helping the island nation to a victory over the Kiwis and a place in the final against the Kangaroos.

After coaching both the Warriors’ SG Ball Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) sides last season, Pocklington takes the reins of the Flegg side in 2025 with Ashford again heading up the Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) coaching team. The Warriors created history last season by becoming the first club to win the Harold Matthews premiership on debut since the competition’s introduction in 1970.

Canterbury-raised Rushworth has joined the One New Zealand Warriors after spending six years in Australia.

In a three-season stint as Canterbury Bankstown’s Harold Matthews Cup head coach he piloted the Bulldogs to the premiership in 2023 while they reached the semi-finals last year before being knocked out by the Warriors. He also had assistant coaching roles with the Bulldogs’ Jersey Flegg and SG Ball sides.

As well as his SG Ball position, Rushworth will be a New South Wales Cup assistant coach for the Warriors this season.

Assistant coaches supporting Rushworth with the Harold Matthews team are ex-Warriors captain Monty Betham (Warrior #61) and former prop Albert Vete (Warrior #197) along with Jethro Friend, who played for the Warriors at both NSW Cup and NYC (under-20) level.