Staff Slade Griffin

[mt.wellington]

Slade Griffin

​

Slade Griffin (born 17 January 1991), is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer. His positions were hooker and lock. He is currently the head coach of the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL Women's Premiership.

He previously played for the Melbourne Storm and the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL). He won the 2017 NRL Grand Final with Melbourne. He played 1 game for the New Zealand kiwis before suffering a career ending knee injury the following weekend.

Born in Glen Innes, Australia, Griffin grew up in Greymouth, New Zealand. He was educated at Greymouth High School.

Griffin played his junior rugby league for the Cobden-Kohinoor Keas, before being signed by the Melbourne Storm.

From 2009 to 2011, Griffin played for the Melbourne Storm's NYC team, scoring 13 tries in 46 appearances, before graduating to the Storm's New South Wales Cup team, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2012. In a 2012 pre-season trial match, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, ruling him out for the rest of the season, however the Storm decided to extend his contract for another year allowing him to come back from injury.

In round 1 of the 2013 NRL season, Griffin made his NRL debut for the Storm against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. In June, he re-signed with the Storm on a 1-year contract until the end of 2014. He went on to play 11 NRL games in his debut season.

In March, Griffin re-signed with the Storm on a 2-year contract until the end of 2016. In April during a New South Wales Cup game, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament for a second time, this time in his left knee, stopping him from playing any NRL games in the 2014 season. In July, he received a two match suspension from the NRL after being found to have placed a bet on NRL matches.

In April while playing in an Intrust Super Cup game for the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Griffin suffered a third anterior cruciate ligament injury, the second in his left knee, which would again rule him out for the season without playing any NRL matches.

After 1056 days since his last NRL match, Griffin returned to the Storm line-up in round 15 of the 2016 season, starting at hooker. In October, he re-signed with the Storm on a 1-year contract until the end of 2017.

In 2017, Griffin was able to break into Melbourne's line-up more regularly, coming off the interchange bench in their 2017 NRL Grand Final win over the North Queensland Cowboys. He finished the season having played in 14 NRL matches. Two days after the grand final, he signed a 2-year contract with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2018, in a bid for more first-grade opportunity with Australian captain Cameron Smith ahead of him for the starting hooker position at the Storm.

In round 1 of the 2018 season, Griffin made his debut for the Knights in their 19-18 golden point extra-time win over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, scoring a try. In June, he made his international debut for New Zealand against England in Denver, Colorado. Just a week later, while playing for the Knights in their round 16 clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, he was passing the ball from dummy half and his leg got caught in a position which ruptured multiple ligaments in his left knee, including a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee graft, ruptured lateral ligament and torn lateral meniscus. This would be his third ACL knee injury to his left knee and meant he faced a 9-12 month recovery period.

While working as a trainer and coach for the Knights during the 2019 season, Griffin ultimately didn't make it back from his knee injury, departing the club at the end of the season.

In July 2020, Griffin was announced as the new coach of the New Zealand Warriors NRL Women's (NRLW) team.

 

[mt.wellington]

Slade Griffin handed Knights coaching role as career hangs by a thread​

15-10-2018

Injured Knights hooker Slade Griffin has been tasked with strengthening Newcastle's defensive deficiencies next season, but the 27-year-old will have to complete his role from the sidelines as his playing future remains in serious doubt.

Having suffered a fourth ACL injury last season, Griffin's career is hanging by a thread and The Newcastle Herald reports he is almost no chance of taking the field in 2019.

Even if his rehabilitation goes to plan, Newcastle coach Nathan Brown doesn't expect Griffin to be ready for the gruelling physical demands of the NRL.

“He has to see his specialist and if everything is really good healing-wise from his first operation, you’d expect with his next operation, if that goes well, he may play very late in the season,” Brown said.

“But I’d suggest it wouldn’t be in the NRL. He’d be aiming to have a few games at the back end in reserve grade.

“Even that would hinge on him being right to have the second operation straight away. If it hasn’t healed enough and he has got to wait another month or two, he’ll be struggling to even get back at all next year.”

However, he still remains a key part of their plans in 2019 after the club opened the door for the luckless rake to become their wresting coach in hope of utilising his defensive expertise, potentially setting him up for life after football.

The Knights ranked as the second-worst defensive side in 2018 behind Manly, leaking an alarming 607 points.

It's why Brown has also reshaped his coaching staff, bringing in Tongan coach Kristian Woolf to oversee the club's defensive structures alongside Griffin and NSW Cup coach Rory Kostjasyn.

During his time in Melbourne, Griffin was widely recognised as the best wrestler in the club and his defensive strengths were a major reason behind Newcastle's interest.

At 27, the injury-riddled playmaker has made just 41 career starts and his stint at Newcastle was cut short at just 16 appearances.

Slade Griffin handed Knights coaching role as career hangs by a thread | Sporting News Australia

“He has to see his specialist and if everything is really good healing-wise from his first operation, you’d expect with his next operation, if that goes well, he may play very late in the season,” Brown said. “But I’d suggest it wouldn’t be in the NRL. He’d be aiming to have a few games at the...

www.sportingnews.com

 

[mt.wellington]

NRL premiership winner Slade Griffin retires at 28 after four knee reconstructions​

By AAP
Nov 13th, 2019

Former NRL title-winning hooker Slade Griffin has been forced to retire at the age of 28 because of incessant injury problems.

Griffin, who was part of Melbourne's 2017 grand final triumph, said he was "shattered" to call time on a career severely hampered by four knee reconstructions.

His last game was 18 months ago for the Newcastle Knights and without a contract for 2020 he announced in a social media post that the time had arrived to switch focus.

"Yes I have hung up the boots...sadly I was forced to retire," he said on Instagram.

"I'm shattered the curtain has come down on what could have been. But I'm very grateful for what I was able to achieve.

"I'll be forever in debt to the game and people of rugby league. It threw some curve balls at me but I accomplished things I thought were only possible in dreams."

"I've been a part of some amazing experiences. Rubbed shoulders with childhood heroes and made lifelong friendships."

Griffin played 25 games across five seasons at the Storm, primarily as a backup to Cameron Smith, and enjoyed a run of 16 successive starts for the Knights in 2018 before suffering another serious injury.

He made his New Zealand Test debut a week before his final game, in the loss to England in Denver.

NRL premiership winner retires at 28

Four knee reconstructions take their toll

wwos.nine.com.au

 

[mt.wellington]

Warriors coach Griffin preparing for all NRLW scenarios​

Brad Walter
Fri 3 Jul 2020, 05:18 PM

New Warriors NRLW coach Slade Griffin said uncertainty over a trans-Tasman bubble is making it difficult to prepare for the upcoming season.

The former Melbourne and Newcastle utility has taken charge of the Warriors women's team after the ARL Commission confirmed last month that the NRLW season would go ahead in September.

"I am really excited," Griffin said. "The quality of rugby league is just improving so much in the women's space and it is really refreshing being around the girls because they just love the game.

"I had watched the Origins, the NRWL and the World Cups and the quality of football is really good so it’s impressive. I just want to help the players improve as much as they can and be a part of growing the women's game."

Brisbane, St George Illawarra and Sydney Roosters will again be the other teams in the NRLW. Plans to increase season from four matches to seven have been scrapped due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"That's really sad but hopefully next year it grows again and I only see it taking off from here," Griffin said.

"The girls were pretty crushed when they were told the season was going to be cancelled and now everyone is really buzzing again. The girls are just really excited so I hope we can get over there and play."

Until the border between Australia and New Zealand is re-opened, the Warriors are going to have to navigate similar issues as their male counterparts, who have been based in NSW since May 3.

Team manager Petrece Kesha, who was Auckland's first female referee, is helping Griffin with the planning, along with NZRL GM High Performance and former Kiwis international Motu Tony.

"We are just preparing for every scenario," said Griffin, who represented New Zealand in the 2018 Denver Test against England.

"One scenario could be to fly in and fly out with the bubble and another could be that we have to go over there and stay for a few weeks and play all of our games. The NRL is going to get back to us within a few weeks and give us a plan."

With NRLW teams due to begin training in mid-August, Griffin is now considering the make-up of his squad and he has attended matches after the Auckland Rugby League competition resumed last week.

"The girls have just started playing again and they are really enjoying themselves," he said.

"A lot of the girls over here play rugby union as well and it's just great for them to get out there, throw a footy around and get a bit of exercise with their mates.

"We are quite lucky that we have a lot of talent over here and the women’s game is quite strong - and getting stronger."

Griffin replaces Luisa Avaiki, who had been the only female coach in the NRLW for the past two seasons and follows the appointment of Jamie Feeney by Sydney Roosters in place of Rick Stone.

Last year's grand finalists St George Illawarra will again be coached by Daniel Lacey, while former Kiwi Ferns mentor Kelvin Wright takes charge of back-to-back premiers Brisbane for a second season.

Warriors coach Griffin preparing for all NRLW scenarios

New coach as Warriors women preparing to play in Australia

www.nrl.com

 

[mt.wellington]

Blair and Griffin appointed new pathways coaches​

Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Wed 17 Aug 2022, 02:00 PM

Former Kiwis and NRL premiership winners Adam Blair and Slade Griffin have today been named as head coaches of the Vodafone Warriors’ two flagship pathways teams which will re-enter the New South Wales Cup and S G Ball Cup competitions next year.

In confirming the return to the competitions after a Covid-enforced absence over the last three seasons, Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George said current NRL assistant coach Griffin will guide the New South Wales Cup side while Blair will step into the S G Ball Cup role after working as a coach in the club’s Sky Sport Future Warriors programme.

“In Slade and Adam we have two talented emerging coaches who have already made a huge contribution to the club,” said George.

“With the Vodafone Warriors at last coming home after being in Australia for the past three seasons, they’re an ideal fit as we look to re-launch these pathways teams and revive the model we had pre-Covid to support our NRL side.

“Through their time with us, Slade and Adam have a real understanding and knowledge of what the Vodafone Warriors stand for and what we are striving to achieve in developing our players for both the present and the future.

“While we will be back in the New South Wales Cup and S G Ball Cup next year, we are also committed to working with all parties in New Zealand to build the women’s game. To that end we will be applying to have our Warriors team back in the NRLW in 2025.

“Our owner Mark Robinson is passionate about having the best pathways possible and these teams are vital not just for our club but also for rugby league in New Zealand.”

Griffin (31), a grand final winner with Melbourne in 2017, moved into coaching when he was forced into premature retirement by another knee injury soon after his Kiwi debut against England in Denver in 2018.

Initially working with the Newcastle Knights, he was appointed as Sky Sport Future Warriors coach in late 2019 and was due to guide the club’s NRLW side in 2020 only for border issues to force a late change. He joined the NRL coaching staff as a transition coach for the 2021 season.

Blair (36) finished his 15-season NRL career with 331 appearances in 2020 while he finished his Kiwi career with 51 Tests in 2019, only the second New Zealander to reach the 50 mark.

Since then he has fuelled his desire to coach by working with young players in the Sky Sport Future Warriors system while he is also a Vodafone Warriors ambassador.

The club’s first foray into the renowned S G Ball Cup in 2020 began impressively but the competition was cancelled in March along with the New South Wales Cup.

While there have been challenges since 2020, George says the club has still made significant progress in development.
He points to the large number of players coming through the club’s programme:

• Several contracted juniors have been based in Australia where they have been playing for feeder the Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland competitions.
• More than 80 players are coming through the club’s Sky Sport Future Warriors programme.

“We have made a greater investment into this area than ever before over the last few years despite Covid’s impact and our investment will step up significantly in the coming years,” said George.

“Despite operating in a difficult climate with no competitions at our disposal, Athens Henare, Tony Iro and Grant Pocklington have been doing a fantastic job with our development.

“They’ve come up with a number of innovative ways to give our young players experience.”

These included running a preseason programme from November through to February, entering a side in the World Schools Rugby Sevens, running coaching and player development days throughout the country, supporting the Auckland Rugby League’s Dean Bell Cup (under-18) and Shaun Johnson Shield (under-16) competitions, having players involved in an under-16 and under-18 North Island tour and putting on a South Island coaching and player development day.

A Sky Sport Future Warriors selection played the Wests Tigers Cubs in the curtain raiser to the Vodafone Warriors v Wests Tigers NRL match on July 3 and under-15 and under-18 teams had matches against Bay of Plenty sides in Rotorua last month.

More matches and trials are planned including a growing focus on players in the under-14 age group.

SLADE GRIFFIN​
Born	January 17, 1991
Birthplace	Glen Innes, New South Wales
Coaching career
	Sky Sport Future Warriors coach 2019-2020 Vodafone Warriors NRL transition coach 2021-2022 Vodafone Warriors assistant coach 2022
Playing career
Position	Hooker
Junior club	Cobden-Kohinoor Keas, Greymouth
NRL clubs	Melbourne 2013-2017 Newcastle 2018
NRL debut	Melbourne v St George Illawarra, AAMI Park, Melbourne, March 10, 2013 (Round 1)
NRL career	41 appearances 2013-2018 Melbourne 25 appearances 2013-2017 Newcastle 16 appearances 2018
NRL points	8 (2 tries)
Representative	1 Test for Kiwis 2018

Blair and Griffin appointed new pathways coaches

Adam Blair and Slade Griffin appointed head coaches of Vodafone Warriors’ flagship pathways teams.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[mt.wellington]

Griffin earns promotion as NRL assistant coach​

Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Tue 3 Oct 2023, 01:01 PM

Slade Griffin has been promoted to assistant coach on the One New Zealand Warriors’ NRL football staff for the 2024 season while the experienced David Tangata-Toa has been signed to replace Griffin as the club’s New South Wales Cup coach.

The 32-year-old Griffin replaces departed Justin Morgan to team up with incumbent assistants Stacey Jones and Richard Agar for Dally M Coach of the Year Andrew Webster’s second campaign as head coach.

Griffin’s elevation is reward for an impressive first year as New South Wales Cup coach when he guided the side to a third-place finish in the regular season before falling just one win short of making the grand final.

“Our commitment as a club is to develop and promote coaches and players from within our system and Slade’s appointment is the perfect example of that,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.

“He’s an outstanding young coach who has made a huge impression since arriving at the club four years ago.

“He did a terrific job with our New South Wales Cup side this year and has worked hard to earn this opportunity.

Webster said he is excited about Griffin’s promotion while his relationship with Tangata-Toa dates back to the days when he was an assistant coach and Tanagata-Toa was a player at Hull Kingston Rovers.

“Slade has made a huge impression on me with his ability to develop our local talent, transition our NRL players back to Cup and find a way to win in the process. It’s a great feeling to promote from within our structure,” said Webster.

West Coast-raised Griffin was appointed as Sky Sport Future Warriors coach in late 2019 and was due to guide the club’s NRLW side in 2020 only for border issues to force a late change. He joined the NRL coaching staff as a transition coach for the 2021 season before being appointed to coach the New South Wales Cup side in the club’s return to the competition this season.

The One New Zealand Warriors reached the preliminary final with a 49-6 trouncing of the Canberra Raiders only to be pipped 28-24 by North Sydney.

Born	January 17, 1991
Birthplace	Glen Innes, New South Wales
Coaching career	Sky Sport Future Warriors coach 2019-2020 One New Zealand Warriors NRL transition coach 2021-2022 One New Zealand Warriors New South Wales Cup coach 2023
Playing career:
Position	Hooker
Junior club	Cobden-Kohinoor Keas (West Coast, NZ)
NRL clubs	Melbourne 2013-2017 Newcastle 2018
NRL career	41 appearances 2013-2018 Melbourne 25 appearances 2013-2017 Newcastle 16 appearances 2018
NRL points	8 (2 tries)
Representative	1 Test for Kiwis (2018)

Griffin earns promotion as NRL assistant coach

Slade Griffin promoted to NRL assistant coach, David Tangata-Toa signed as NSW Cup coach.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[BabylonPink]

Is Blair still involved with the club?
Is he still doing his sky stuff?
What with Slade prompted and all

 

[mt.wellington]

Is Blair still involved with the club?
Is he still doing his sky stuff?
What with Slade prompted and all

Absolutely no mention of Blair for next season so safe to say he is no longer in the picture...