After leading the Wellington under-18s to a premiership on Sunday, Aidan Ryan says he will put his hand up to captain-coach the first grade side in 2017.
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Ryan, a mainstay in the Cowboys backline in recent years, was almost in tears on Sunday as the 18s side he coached capped off a brilliant Group 11 season with a 42-18 grand final win over the Nyngan Tigers.
While much of the plaudits rightly went to Player of the Year Kotoni Staggs, all the players made mention of Ryan’s coaching.
And the man they call ‘Mad Dog’ said restoring the club to where it should be in first grade is his next priority. Lewis Stanley was captain-coach this season but the Cowboys only won one match all year and finished second from bottom and Ryan wants to work alongside the five-eighth to develop the club’s young stars further.
“I’m hoping to lead these boys in first grade next year,” Ryan said after the grand final win.
“I’m putting in for first grade captain-coach and I want to lead them and turn first grade around with guys like Lewis and I working together. We can build these guys up and make them good players in first grade.”
While Staggs is headed for the Brisbane Broncos in November, the likes of Brogan Black, Will Lousick and Brad McCarroll all had stellar seasons and played huge roles in the Cowboys’ premiership.
They, and many others in the 18s squad, will be tasked with giving the passionate Wellington fans something to cheer about in the senior grades from next season.
It was clear how much the grand final win meant not only to the players and the club, but also to the town itself as Wellington fans streamed on to the field at Caltex Park after the full time whistle on Sunday.
“Twenty years and we finally got it,” Ryan said referring to the under-18s premiership drought.
“It’s been 17 years since the club won anything in any grade so you can see the emotion. It means everything. Look at the supporters here. I think we’ve got the majority of them and it’s Wellington so it’s awesome feeling.”
Ryan felt his side didn’t produce its best performance in the decider, as they overcame a nervy to start to run away with it late. But he still had plenty to say about the precocious Staggs, who produced one of the great individual performances when it mattered most.
“We didn’t play our best..but to still come out on top is awesome,” he said, before praising Staggs.
“They shut him down really well but when he had his opportunities he capitalised on them and I think he was the difference. When we’re in a hole he knows how to get us out of trouble.”
