Willie Peters is the hottest candidate among the NRL head coaches-in-waiting right now. His all-conquering feats with Hull KR in the Super League have him at the front of the queue to be next onto the NRL coaching merry-go-round.
Pressure? For some, it may be. But not for a man who, as a teenager, had to live with the burden of being dubbed the next Peter Sterling by his then South Sydney coach, Craig Coleman.
“I wouldn’t change anything because it’s helped me now,” Peters says during an interview from the fields at the prestigious Harrow School in London after leading the Kangaroos through a training session.
“When I played, I got there quickly. I was only 18 when there was the Sterlo thing and all that sort of stuff at the time. So, you’ve got to learn from things that happen in your life.”
The lesson that Peters took out of being dubbed the next Peter Sterling is a large part of why he is where he stands today, holding a position as Kevin Walters’ Kangaroos assistant coach in the same year he led Hull KR to the treble (Super League premiership, League Leaders trophy, and Challenge Cup champions).
He didn’t want his coaching career to resemble what was still a decent rugby league playing career, so he began at the bottom and worked his way up one step at a time.
Assistant coach Willie Peters plans out training with head coach Kevin Walters.Credit: NRL Photos
“What I said [when I was younger] was that when I coach, I want to start at the grassroots and learn the foundations,” Peters said.
“I started with like 16s and 18s skills to see if I would enjoy it, and I loved it. Then I head coached 16s, head coached 18s, and I went to 20s and then to assistant NRL. I’ve done it deliberately.
“I’ve always wanted to be a head coach over here [Super League], and I thought that this would have to be my pathway. It was like 10 or 12 years ago when I said to the missus that this is what I wanted to do. I just wanted to make sure that she was on board that long ago, which she was.
“I wanted to come over here as my next progression with the dream of coaching in the NRL. I made that aware to the CEO at the time and the owner, but it was always a commitment to be here for four or five years. That’s what I believe that we needed to do as a minimum.”
Willie Peters celebrates this month’s Super League premiership with Hull KR.Credit: Getty
Next season will mark his fourth season at Hull KR. The team had just finished eighth in a 12-team competition when he was handed the keys.
Since then, Peters has enjoyed a 74 per cent win record, watching his team climb from fourth in his first season, second in his second season, and champions in his third.
The Newcastle Knights, where Peters coached as an assistant under Adam O’Brien before taking the job with Hull KR, were keen to have a conversation with him a few months ago about returning to take over from the man he once worked for.
However, Peters instructed his manager, Braith Anasta, not to look into the interest the Knights had shown.
Willie Peters worked alongside Sam Burgess when he was assistant coach at South Sydney.Credit: Nick Moir
“This year wasn’t the right time to apply for jobs,” Peters admits.
“I can’t apply for a job and – get it or not get it – go back to my team and say ‘I need you to be all in for the last six weeks’. It doesn’t work like that. There was an opportunity through Braith to apply for Newcastle at the time.
“He said there was interest from Newcastle for me to apply. But it wasn’t the right time to go apply for jobs. Do I want to go back? Yeah, I do. But whenever that is, it’s the right place and the right fit. But if jobs become available and people see that I’m the right fit, then I’d certainly chat.”
The end of next season will mark four years since he joined the club, fulfilling the initial minimum commitment he pledged to Hull KR.
With Todd Payten (Cowboys) and Anthony Seibold (Sea Eagles) leading the field of NRL coaches under pressure to perform heading into 2026, the time could be right for Peters to return home.
“I want a club that’s got aspirations to win,” he said.
“That’s so important. As a coach and players, there’s nothing better than winning footy games. And obviously, coaches get sacked for not winning footy games. But I want a club that’s got a long-term vision as well, and what I mean by that is that they’ve got a pathway. If they want to bring players through, they’re going to judge you on where the players are at that time.
“As much as winning and losing is important, to have sustained success, you need to have a good pathways system. Who knows, I might end up staying here and might not go back. I don’t know, but naturally for me, the elite competition, the pinnacle, is the NRL competition and you always want to test yourself. But we’re loving it here at the moment.”
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