Head coach: Dragons appoint ex-halfback to guide NRLW side

St George Illawarra are hoping Mathew Head's experience as NSW women's coach will get them back on track after a winless 2020 season.

Head, who coached the Blues in 2014 and '15, replaces inaugural coach Daniel Lacey in the top job after the club parted ways with him earlier this month after they finished with the wooden spoon last season.

The 38-year-old former playmaker has an extensive coaching background since retiring from the game in 2009.

He more recently guided the Dragons' NSW Cup side to the minor premiership in 2019 and is no stranger to the women's game. 

Head handed the likes of Jillaroos stars Kezie Apps and Simaima Taufa their state debuts when he was at the NSW helm.

"I'm really looking forward to creating a winning and exciting culture but most importantly a culture that's professional and disciplined," Head said in a Dragons statement.

"Our men's team is going to some good places currently with Hook [Anthony Griffin] at the helm. I'm really excited and inspired by our NRL squad and am looking forward to transferring things across to our women's program. 

"There's a lot of improvement that can be achieved. Hopefully, the girls buy into what it means to be a Dragon."

Head's next task will be to retain and recruit players to form the club's fourth NRLW campaign. 

Dragons general manager of football Ben Haran said Head, who played 78 NRL games for St George Illawarra and the Wests Tigers, was the right person to take the side to the next level.

"The amount of women and young girls playing rugby league is growing rapidly. We recognise that we have a lot of talented young females playing our game across our regions," Haran said.

"We thought the change was necessary for the program's success moving forward and Mat brings a lot of great qualities as a coach.

"The women's game is becoming more and more professional so the opportunity to be able to allocate one of our full-time resources, who works within our men's program, to our NRLW team is a real asset for us as a club.

"The introduction of our female Dragons Academy will ensure these young players get plenty of opportunities moving forward. We want to win NRLW competitions and that starts by having this new pathway in place for our young female talent."