The Woden Valley Rams rugby league club has been forced into a dramatic coaching reshuffle, appointing two joint head coaches after its original choice was blocked by the sport's governing body amid a police investigation.
Governing Body Steps In After Police Report
In a significant intervention, the NSW Rugby League informed the Rams via the Canberra Region Rugby League on November 11, 2025, that it would not register the club's intended appointee, Ashley Barnes, as a coach. This move came just days after ACT Policing confirmed it had received a report in early November regarding an incident alleged to have occurred in September 2024.
Rams chairman Steve Hicks acknowledged in an email to club sponsors that Barnes' position became "untenable" once the police investigation commenced. "With the subsequent lodgement of a police report on November 7, 2025, the Rams agree that Ash cannot continue as head coach under the circumstances," Hicks wrote. The Canberra Times does not suggest the allegations against Barnes are true.
Club's Damage Control and Controversial Contract Clauses
The club's hierarchy has engaged in extensive damage control following the failed attempt to reinstate Barnes, who was sacked by the Rams in 2024 over allegations of inappropriate conduct. In communications to sponsors, Hicks argued that correspondence stating the CRRL would not register Barnes "'even if the club tries' is a significant misrepresentation of what occurred."
In a bid to justify the initial appointment, the Rams had drafted a contract for Barnes containing several strict clauses, including:
- A complete ban on consuming alcohol at official club functions.
- Clear boundaries on communication with female players, prohibiting Barnes from initiating one-on-one contact or personal communications via social media.
- A requirement for regular "progress meetings" with the CRRL.
The club also conducted an internal review and updated its code of conduct, introducing new guidelines for "male entry into female change rooms." Hicks claimed this update was unrelated to Barnes' appointment, despite the club initially citing it as part of the justification for his return.
New Coaching Duo Takes the Reins for 2026
With the Barnes appointment collapsing, the Rams have moved swiftly to secure a new leadership team for the 2026 Canberra Raiders Cup season. The club has appointed Sean Maloney and Daine Spencer as joint head coaches.
Hicks maintained in his email that both the NSWRL and CRRL had initially approved Barnes' appointment for 2026, and that Barnes had undertaken "steps and courses" in self-improvement over the preceding 14 months. However, NSWRL chief executive David Trodden clarified to The Canberra Times in November that the governing body does not approve coaching appointments, but rather registers them—a step it ultimately refused to take in this case.
The CRRL has declined to comment on the matter. The episode leaves the Rams under a cloud as they prepare for the new season with their new coaching structure now firmly in place.
