Dubbo CYMS premiership halfback Joe Williams maintains he is retired from playing rugby league but the former NRL player will be involved in a different capacity in 2012 after being named as coach of the Fishies.
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Williams plans to balance the job with a progression further into the professional boxing ranks and has had his first taste of that this week as he prepares for a welterweight fight against Central Coast pugilist Brendan Batty at Cowra on Saturday night.
Batty is a former Australian title contender and will provide stiff opposition for Williams, who currently holds a 6-0 professional record.
“Since the grand final (September 4) I have lost about 11kg and I plan to lose a bit more before the weigh in,” Williams said.
“I’ve been running about 10km and doing two boxing sessions a day so it’s been flat out but I am really enjoying it.
“I will start to taper my training now so hopefully by the time Saturday night rolls around I will be at my peak.
“Brendan Batty has had a lot of experience and has a lot of ring craft so it’s not going to be easy but I’m confident in my ability and hopefully I’ll have enough strengths to beat him on the night.”
Williams appointment as CYMS coach for 2012 was announced at the club’s recent presentation night and the 28-year-old admits it is a challenge he is looking forward to.
First among his priorities is securing a halfback to fill his shoes and a fullback to compensate for the loss of St-George Illawarra recruit Charly Runciman and former coach Blake Tremain-Cannon, who faces a lengthy recovery from post-grand final shoulder surgery.
“We’re looking around at what is out there as far as players are concerned but our first priority is retaining the guys that got us to a premiership this season,” Williams said.
“Nothing has been signed yet but we have spoken to guys and we are hoping to have some answers in the next few days or weeks.
“Obviously fullback and halfback are holes that we will have so we are looking there and probably to add a bit of front-row depth, just in case Nick Wilson and Chris Thompson go down with injury.
“We struggled without that depth early in this season but when we got them back we picked up and it ultimately helped us to a premiership so a bit of cover for them will be nice.”
