Neil Henry

Henry was a foundation player of the Raiders, having played for the club from 1982 and 1984 in the lower grades. After a succession of player-coach positions at local clubs in the Canberra competition, he was made coach of the Western Reds' Under 19 team in 2017, before coaching Raiders lower-grade teams between 1999 and 2002.

He was previously the assistant coach of the North Queensland Cowboys between 2002 and 2006, and assistant to Mal Meninga in the Queensland State of Origin team from 2006–2009. He had two sons Jack Henry and Robert Walker.

In his first season as an NRL head coach, Henry incurred a fine of $10,000 for the Raiders by questioning the impartiality of the referee following a round 19 loss to Melbourne Storm in 2007.[3]

Henry was named Dally M Coach of the Year for 2008, ahead of other nominees Craig Bellamy, Ricky Stuart and Des Hasler.[4]

In October, 2008, Henry returned to Townsville, Queensland to take over from Ian Millward as head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys. He was also coach of the Australian Aboriginal rugby league team who played before the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

Henry coached the Indigenous All Stars in the inaugural All Stars match in 2010, with the Indigenous All Stars prevailing 16-12.

In 2010 Neil Henry was an assistant coach of the PM XIII team that played PNG. In 2010 Henry was in danger of losing his job after the Cowboys won just five out of its 24 games, only avoiding the wooden spoon after Melbourne were stripped of its premiership points for salary cap breaches. In 2011 Neil Henry was able to turn it around by winning 14 games.

Neil Henry was a finalist for Dally M coach of the year in 2011. [5]

However, on 29 July 2013, Neil Henry was informed by North Queensland Cowboys chairman, Laurence Lacini, that his services would no longer be needed in 2014 after a disappointing effort by the club.[6]

On 28 September 2013, it was announced that the former North Queensland mentor signed with Gold Coast Titans as an assistant coach.[7] He was elevated to the role of interim coach after John Cartwright tendered his resignation following a disappointing 2014 season for the club.[8]

On 17 August 2014, Henry coached his first game with the Gold Coast Titans in a 15-12 defeat by the Manly Sea Eagles on the Gold Coast.

On 21 August 2017, Henry was sacked from his position as head coach of the Gold Coast Titans. The sacking came in the wake of a highly publicised feud between Henry and the then Gold Coast player Jarryd Hayne. It was also reported that Henry had fallen out of favour with other senior players at the Gold Coast club.[9][10][11]

Henry has recently turned his hand to expert commentary on Fox Sports.

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