The NSW Sky Blues have confirmed the two assistant coaches that will work under John Strange for the 2025 Women's State of Origin series later this year against the QLD Maroons.
Replacing Kylie Hilder as the new coach of the women's team, Strange has appointed Alicia-Kate Hawke and Ruan Sims as his two assistants with the pair working together with him over the three-match series later this year in May.
โRuan and Alicia-Kate bring a great set of skills, when it comes to guiding our players,โ Strange said.
โThey both have been head coaches at Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership level, involved in rep teams for NSWRL Country-City matches, and assistant coaches for NRLW clubs.โ
In what will be Sims' fourth year as an assistant coach of the Blues, she is an assistant coach at the Cronulla Sharks NRLW under Tony Herman and her resume includes being the head coach of the Sharks' Harvey Norman Women's Premiership side and head coach of NSW Country.
Meanwhile, Hawks has been an assistant coach of the North Queensland Cowboys NRLW over the past two seasons and was previously the head coach of the Illawarra Steelers in 2022 and the head coach of NSW Country in 2023.
โIn the absence of having our female players take part in a club competition leading up to Origin, which was the same case last year, we are preparing a rigorous six-week training program for a squad of 30 players,โ Strange added.
โAt the end of that program I will name 20 players for Game One.
โThree games in one month will test the players both physically and mentally.
"But we will do everything we can to produce a team NSW can be proud of, and one that can return the Shield to this great state.โ
