Huddersfield Giants boss Simon Woolford leaves with immediate effect

HUDDERSFIELD Giants head coach Simon Woolford has sensationally left the club with immediate effect.
Huddersfield Giants coach Simon Woolford who has today left the club (Paul Currie/SWPix)Huddersfield Giants coach Simon Woolford who has today left the club (Paul Currie/SWPix)
Huddersfield Giants coach Simon Woolford who has today left the club (Paul Currie/SWPix)

The Australian was due to host a press conference at lunch-time ahead of tomorrow’s Super League game with Wakefield Trinity but that was cancelled at short notice.

Instead, the club - who are on a six-game losing run - has now issued a statement saying Woolford has departed immediately.

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His contract was due to expire at the end of the season and Giants confirmed on Monday he would not be remaining in 2021.

In that statement, though, Huddersfield managing director Richard Thewlis said: "It felt best for all to get this news out now so we can concentrate on the specific task in hand, which is getting our first win since lockdown and supporting Simon and the squad in achieving their goals for the end of the year.”

However, clearly, the position has since changed with Thewlis subsequently announcing this afternoon: “Simon and I caught up today regarding the position and we both agreed this (immediate parting) is best for both parties.

“I would like to pay tribute to Simon for his professionalism and realisation of the situation once it was known he wasn’t seeking an extension and everyone here wishes him and his family every success in the future.

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“He returns to Australia after just over two years experience here as Head Coach and am sure will have many suitors down under for his services ”

Assistant coach Luke Robinson will assume immediate charge of all first team matters and be assisted by Kim Williams with Andy Kelly as Football Manager.

Woolford, 45, had said recently that he did want to extend his contract but it was “unlikely” that would happen.

He was appointed in April 2018 and helped take Giants from the foot of the table up to fifth, narrowly missing the play-offs, but was blighted by injuries last year when the club only escaped relegation on the final day of the campaign.

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Huddersfield started this season by winning four of their opening five Super League games but then lost to Toronto Wolfpack in the Challenge Cup before the sport was shut down due to the pandemic.

They have lost all five games since it resumed, including Friday’s 13-12 defeat to Leeds Rhinos - the third time they have lost by just a solitary point in that run.

Meanwhile, plans for tomorrow's game were thrown into further disarray this afternoon when three Giants players had to be stood down as a result of test and trace analysis following a positive Covid test for a Leeds player in that fixture last week.

The trio - who were all in Huddersfield's 21-man squad - will now have to self-isolate for 14 days from the date of that game.

Scrum-half Tom Holmes and untried Robson Stevens will come into a reduced 20-man squad for the Trinity game.

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