Why Justin had to strike GOLD Justin Holbrook.

Byline: [email protected] JOHN LAWLESS SCRUMS DOWN ON THE RUGBY LEAGUE SCENE

IT WON'T have come as a complete surprise to St Helens fans that head coach Justin Holbrook will be moving on at the end of the season. A massive disappointment, yes. But a surprise, no.

It's been known for some time that Holbrook was on Australian NRL club Gold Coast Titans' radar. I dare say there were others being considered for the vacancy, but they've decided Justin's the man for the job.

No doubt Saints followers were hoping the Titans would plump for someone else.

But, if you think about it, the very reason Saints were desperately hoping to hang on to Holbrook's services is precisely why the Titans want him.

Of course, Justin and his family are Aussies, and he was bound to want to go back home at some point.

He's never made a secret of his desire to be an NRL head coach and, despite his love for Saints, he decided he needed to strike while the iron was hot.

As a club, Saints have handled the situation with great common sense.

Yes, they wanted him to stay and will have done everything in their power to keep him. I'm sure an improved financial deal was on the table if he wanted it, for example.

But they also realised the practicalities in play.

Justin is out of contract at the end of the current season and his words speak for themselves about his reasons for going to the Gold Coast (it's not a bad spot on planet Earth to live, either!).

The players will no doubt have wanted him to stay. He led them to last year's League Leaders Shield, they're playing at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final this month, and are short odds to feature in the Grand Final at Old Trafford in October. And, following their game against Wakefield last night, only a mathematical nightmare can stop them winning the Leage Leaders' Shield. They'll surely win it with plenty to spare, just like last year.

I suppose some might worry the news of Justin leaving could have a negative effect on the squad, as we come into the business end of the campaign.

If anything, I suspect it will just make the players determined to send him out on a high, in a similar way the Wigan team was motivated by the impending departure of Shaun Wane at the end of last season.

The split is going to be an amicable one, and Saints are now on the lookout for a new boss to take over the reins for 2020.

Whoever it is will have a hard act to follow.

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Justin Holbrook