About Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers has proudly competed in the NRL since 2000 and celebrated its inaugural premiership in 2005. As a joint venture between the Balmain Tigers and Wests Magpies, the Club has grown into a modern, innovative and inclusive sporting organisation committed to developing future generations of rugby league talent.

With the addition of our NRLW program in 2023 and a strong focus on player pathways, Wests Tigers continues to invest in the development of athletes, coaches and staff across all levels of the game. Guided by our values of Family, Teamwork, Excellence, Respect and Honesty, we provide a high-performance environment where people can thrive and contribute to long-term success. 

The Opportunity

Wests Tigers is seeking an experienced and passionate Academy Coach (SG Ball) to join our Pathways Program.

Reporting to the Head of Pathways, this role is responsible for leading the Club's SG Ball program while contributing to the development of emerging talent across the Wests Tigers Pathways system. The successful candidate will play a key role in player development, talent identification, coaching excellence and supporting athlete progression into senior football environments. 

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of one of Australia's leading rugby league clubs while working closely with elite athletes, coaches and football operations staff. 

Key Responsibilities

SG Ball Program Leadership

• Serve as Head Coach of the Wests Tigers SG Ball team.
• Plan and deliver training sessions, match preparation and performance reviews.
• Develop individual player development programs.
• Create a high-performance environment focused on growth, accountability and team success. 

Elite Development Programs

• Lead the Club's Elite Development Squad.
• Deliver learning and development programs aligned to Club and NRL frameworks.
• Support winter development initiatives and emerging talent programs. 

Player Development

• Deliver specialist positional coaching and skills development programs.
• Conduct video analysis, game reviews and classroom-based learning sessions.
• Provide individual coaching feedback and development planning. 

Talent Identification & Recruitment

• Assist with junior representative trials and player assessments.
• Support scholarship camps and recruitment initiatives.
• Identify and evaluate emerging talent within the Club's pathways network. 

Senior Pathway Support

• Support Pathways coaching staff as a Second Assistant Coach.
• Assist with game preparation, analysis and performance reviews.
• Help transition players into senior football environments. 

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with players, families, schools, junior clubs and pathway partners.
• Work collaboratively with coaching, performance, medical and football operations staff.
• Represent the Club in a professional and positive manner. 

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Essential

• Demonstrated coaching experience within elite junior representative, academy, pathways or high-performance sporting environments.
• Strong understanding of player development and talent identification.
• Experience planning and delivering effective coaching programs.
• Excellent communication, leadership and relationship management skills.
• Strong analytical capability and experience using video review and performance analysis tools.
• Valid Working With Children Check.
• Current Australian Driver's Licence.
• Ability to travel and work outside standard business hours as required.
• Full Australian working rights. 

Desirable

• Coaching qualifications recognised by the NRL or an equivalent sporting body.
• Tertiary qualifications in Sports Coaching, Education, Sport Science or a related discipline.
• Experience coaching rugby league athletes within representative or elite development programs. 

Why Join Wests Tigers?

• Play a key role in developing future NRL talent.
• Work within a professional, collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Join a club with a strong commitment to pathways and player development.
• Build meaningful relationships with athletes and contribute to their growth on and off the field.

Be part of an organisation driven by excellence, innovation and community impact.