Former Warrington Half-Back Lee Briers Set for Surprise NRL Move
Former Warrington half-back and Wigan and England coach Lee Briers is poised to make a surprise move to the NRL, despite recent links to a Super League role. After establishing himself at St Helens, Briers spent 15 years there and also represented Wales and Great Britain. Since retiring from playing, he has held high-profile coaching positions with Wigan Warriors and England, and is currently the attacking coach at NRL side Brisbane Broncos.
“I always had faith in my coaching ability and if it eventuates that I go on to become a head coach, it pays off. That’s eventually the target, either in Super League or the NRL.”
- Lee Briers, on his coaching ambitions
It had seemed that a head coaching role was on the horizon for Briers, and he had previously stated his ambitions. However, Briers reportedly turned down an opportunity to become the head coach at Hull FC, with the club ultimately securing his colleague John Cartwright for the role instead.
Joining the Rabbitohs’ Coaching Staff
Now, according to The Australian Daily Telegraph, Briers is set to join Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff at South Sydney Rabbitohs as an assistant coach from 2025. The saga surrounding the Rabbitohs’ head coaching position has been ongoing since the departure of Jason Demetriou, with high-profile names like Sam Burgess reportedly considered. But the club has settled on the legendary Wayne Bennett, and Briers is now eager to work under his tutelage, with the view of eventually becoming an NRL head coach himself.
A “Final Apprenticeship”
This potential move to South Sydney could be seen as a “final apprenticeship” for Briers, mirroring the approach taken by former St Helens boss Kristian Woolf, who served as Bennett’s assistant at the Dolphins before taking on the head coaching role next year. If the reports are accurate, Briers’ departure would be a significant loss for Brisbane Broncos and their head coach Kevvie Walters, who has now lost two assistant coaches in the span of two weeks and will need to find a replacement.
With Briers not heading to Hull FC, it appears that it will be at least 2026 before he gets his first opportunity to lead a team as a head coach.
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