Former Knights, Panthers and Storm prop Adam Woolnough is set to take charge of the USA Hawks for February’s Vegas Test against Scotland after being appointed as head coach.
Woolnough, who will be assisted by former Knights team-mate Cory Paterson, was appointed to the role following a comprehensive review of the United States Association of Rugby League's national programs.
The Hawks women's team will be coached by Troy Clarkson, who has more than 20-years of experience in NRL pathways, while former USA, Junior Kiwis and Samoa representative Ray Pua is the U19s coach.
The new coaches will now begin preparations for the international triple-header against Scotland in Las Vegas on February 27, which the USARL hope is the first step towards qualification for the 2028 Women's and 2030 Men's World Cups.
The fixtures are part of the 2026 Festival of Rugby League in Las Vegas headlined by the NRL's season opening Bulldogs-Dragons and Cowboys-Knights matches, and the Super League clash between Hull KR and Leeds, at Allegiant Stadium on February 28.
The USA squads to play Scotland will be announced later this month.
"This is a special opportunity, and I am grateful to the USARL board for trusting me as the next head coach of the Hawks," Woolnough said.
"Rugby league in the US is full of talent - both realised and untapped. I am committed to building a program grounded in integrity, accountability, and pride in the jersey, with a strong, connected team culture.
"Together, we will be united, disciplined, and determined to elevate the USA Men’s program to new heights."
Woolnough will bring the experience of 155 NRL games for Melbourne Storm, Penrith Panthers, Newcastle Knights, as well as the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII.
He has a knowledge of high-performance programs and national teams in his current role as Ice Hockey Australia GM, and has previously held senior roles at the Australian Institute of Sport and Queensland Academy of Sport.
His most recent coaching role was with the Melbourne Storm's U21s team in 2022.
Woolnough will be supported by Paterson, who played 179 games across the NRL, Super League, Indigenous All Stars and Australian Prime Minister’s XIII.
"I’m excited to reunite with Woolly and help grow rugby league in the US, where the potential is massive," said Paterson, who now resides in Texas.
Clarkson, who has worked with the Dolphins, Wests Tigers, Canberra Raiders, Parramatta Eels and Canterbury Bulldogs, is renowned for talent identification, player development and creating high-performance environments.
"The focus is on lifting standards, strengthening pathways, and positioning the USA Women’s team for long-term success," Clarkson said.
"We are committed to developing players both on and off the field, fostering accountability, creating opportunities, and providing education to build a strong, sustainable and competitive program."
Pua is a respected figure in American rugby and has extensive experience in player development, including his work with Belmont Shore Rugby Club youth programs.
He is a former USA Tomahawk, Junior Kiwi, and Samoa representative. As a coach, he has guided the Belmont Shore U18 Girls to back-to-back USA National Championships in 2024 and 2025, and led the U18 Boys to a State Championship in 2015.
"Developing young American athletes and helping them reach their potential at the national level is something I’m deeply passionate about," Pua said.
USARL Chair, Matt Goschnick, acknowledged outgoing Hawks coach Sean Rutgerson for his service and commitment to rugby league in the United States and the men’s national program for more than eight years.
"We look forward to Sean remaining involved in the game in the US," he said.
Goschnick also highlighted the certainty provided to players with the new appointments.
"We are pleased to confirm who will lead our programs going forward for an initial two-year term, focusing on building and developing competitive pathways and opportunities for US-eligible players through our national team," he said.
The review was led by newly appointed Co-Heads of Football, Shane Morris and Kurt Stocks.
"Change is never easy and from the outset, Shane and Kurt have been aligned and had a clear mandate on what each program needed to develop and grow," Goschnick said.
"While there have been challenges across programs and pathways in the past, we are confident we now have the best people available to lead us into the next phase, and the board is excited to see the impact Adam, Troy, and Ray can bring in leading their respective programs."
The EOI process attracted a large number of high-calibre applicants and focused on strengthening the long-term capability of rugby league in the United States.
Morris emphasised the importance of building sustainable coaching frameworks in a developing rugby league nation.
"We had an outstanding pool of candidates," he said. "One of the key areas we identified was the need to upskill coaches domestically.
"This process was about identifying leaders who can mentor and develop not only players but also coaches and support staff, creating a lasting impact across the program."
Stocks noted that the appointments went beyond coaching credentials alone.
"This was about finding people who can build and develop sustainable national programs," he said.
"Each candidate demonstrated the ability to strengthen the competitiveness of the jersey while contributing broader expertise that elevates the entire system."
