Greenwood steps down from Siddal job, eyes step up to pro game

The former Halifax player, who saw his side lose out 16-12 to Thatto Heath in this season’s decider, has helped turn Siddal into the amateur game’s dominant force over the last five years, contesting the last three Grand Finals.

“I’m ready to head coach at a professional level if that comes about,” said Greenwood, who had already told the club’s players he would be stepping down ahead of Saturday’s game.

“If not, it might be rugby union which is probably not my first choice, but there’s some interest there.

“It’s not quite the fairytale finish we wanted to get, but there’s nothing we can do about that, it is what it is.

“We’ve lost here before, two years ago, and then you know there’s a speech to be made about the following year, but this time there isn’t.

“It’s sport, it happens.

“I’ve done five or six seasons and in a couple of days when I’ve computed things I might look back on that with pride but right now it’s all about one game.

“I’m either going to get really drunk or just go home and hide in a dark room.”

Greenwood was unsurprisingly frustrated by the manner of his side’s defeat; they dominated the first half and might have been out of sight by the break with more clinical finishing.

Instead, they led just 8-6 and saw a resurgent Thatto Heath claim the win with a try eight minutes from time.

“We performed well, we were good in that first half,” said Greenwood.

“I thought we looked 20 or 30 points better at times, but it just didn’t quite happen for us.

“It’s how the play offs is; it just hasn’t been close all season, we’ve been far and away the best team.

“We’ve lost two close games away all year and won the rest, but the way it is now the champions are the team that wins the Grand Final.

“That’s the way it’s set up now and we know that.

“They beat us and it’s their day.”