Super League giants St Helens are now on the hunt for their next head coach, with Paul Rowley having departed: but where will they turn?
Rowley, who only landed the job himself ahead of the 2026 campaign, stepped down from his role on the eve of Saints’ derby clash away against Wigan Warriors.
For the time being, assistant Eamonn O’Carroll will step up to fill the role of head coach on an interim basis: with it unclear as yet how long that will be for.
The longest he could possibly fill that role for is until the end of the season, with his own departure from the club at the conclusion of 2026 already having been confirmed having secured a role as Defence Coach at rugby union outfit Scarlets.
Whether in the coming weeks or ahead of 2027, the position doesn’t change that Saints need a new head coach: and while the next appointment certainly isn’t clear, we’ve compiled a few options…
Danny Buderus
Leeds cult hero Buderus starred as the Rhinos beat Saints in the 2011 Grand Final at Old Trafford.
15 years on, he’s now back in the NRL as an assistant coach at Newcastle Knights, working under none other than Justin Holbrook, the man who led Saints to their 2019 Super League triumph.
Buderus has never headed up a side at first-grade level on a permanent basis before, but does appear an option now.
Ben Hornby
St George legend Hornby, who won the NRL Grand Final with the Dragons in 2010, has just missed out on their vacant head coach role, being beaten to it by Dean Young.
Hornby therefore remains on the open market as he seeks his first permanent appointment as a first-grade head coach, though it must be noted he has already turned down Hull KR.
KR wanted Hornby as their Willie Peters replacement, but he believed he would land a job Down Under, and the Robins ended up appointing Nathan Cayless.
Jamie Langley
Ex-England and Great Britain international Langley has worked alongside Brad Arthur at Leeds for the last couple of seasons, forming a key part of the backroom team at the club currently sat top of Super League.
It’s been widely speculated that once Australian Arthur departs Headingley, Langley will be the one to step in to the head coach role.
But with Arthur having extended his own contract recently, Langley may be tempted if he were to be offered the leading role at Saints, one of Super League’s elite clubs.
Brian McDermott
Veteran coach McDermott will, of course, head up England at this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup.
He has not agreed anything contract wise beyond the tournament though, and at club level, is currently an assistant coach in the NRL with the Gold Coast Titans.
There’s nothing to suggest McDermott would want to return to the UK, but he’s among the most successful head coaches in Super League history, so Saints could do worse than at least sounding him out.
Willie Talau
The outside bet of the five names we’ve listed would probably come in the shape of former Saints star Talau, who now heads up St George’s New South Wales Cup side having been involved with the NRL club for a number of years in varying roles.
A former New Zealand and Samoa international, Talau played circa 150 games in a Saints shirt between 2003 and 2008, establishing himself as a cult hero with plenty of success during his stint at Knowsley Road.
Talau’s son Tommy is also known to be seeking a Super League deal, and you’d wager good money that could come at Saints if his dad landed the head coach role.