In a move set to turn heads, Kellie Woolnough will step up from assistant in favour to co-coach with incumbent Hawks boss Ruth Tuohy.

The decision to share the responsibility for the 2019 State League netball season comes after Tuohy wants to focus more on work duties.

“I was worried about my commitment level to the team and taking on that head coach role,” Tuohy said.

“We decided to co-coach because we provide that right balance for the team and it gives me a bit of flexibility to have a work-life balance.”

Tuohy’s remarkable success in her third season at the helm extends to delivering an elusive title in the Hawks’ third straight grand final.

But the coach insists that a great deal of the credit must belong to Woolnough. So much so that co-coaching is “just calling it what it is”.

“Thankfully, Kellie has been my mentor since I started at Hawks in development [coaching],” Tuohy said, “and being able to work alongside in her role will give me the confidence that the coaching will still be at the level it needs to be without me being able to commit fully.”

Part of the change will have Tuohy training the Hawks on Mondays and Woolnough on Wednesdays. But the new co-coach stepped in this year to organise the gameday attack.

“My role should make it quite smooth for the players,” Woolnough said. “It gives them a bit more of certainty in how it will be structured.”

Woolnough, who coached the rebuild in 2013 and 2014 after five years in charge of the 19-and-under side, wants to add more to this side.

“I feel like we have a strong foundation, but regardless of results, you always learn – it doesn’t matter how long you’re coaching for,” she said.

.