Former Wigan Warriors assistant coach Lee Briers has lifted the lid on his Super League return, admitting he had initially turned down an offer to be a head coach in England before agreeing to join St Helens.
The 46-year-old legendary half-back will join Paul Wellens’ coaching staff from the 2025 season on a two-year deal, returning after two seasons in the NRL with Brisbane Broncos.
Briers, who enjoyed a successful season at Wigan as part of the club’s new coaching team under Matt Peet, winning the 2022 Challenge Cup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, landed back on home soil last week, and was a recent guest on Sky Sports podcast ‘The Bench’ to discuss his latest move.
Talking with presenters Jenna Brooks and Jon Wilkin, Briers revealed that he rejected an offer for a head coaching role in England, before being approached by Saints – having initially planned on remaining in Australia beyond 2024.
“I was offered a head coaching role in Super League, but it wasn’t right for me at that time,” Briers said.
“I’m not too sure that head coaching is for me. I just love developing players and you do that best when you’re an assistant coach.
“If it comes, it comes, but it’s not going to be in the too near-future for me. I’m just loving what I’m doing.
“I’ve been asked this a lot of times, ‘Am I ready?’ and I am ready, but wanting to do it is a totally different thing. It’s not on my list at the moment.
“By not taking that job, St Helens got in touch.”
Briers, who will also return to Shaun Wane’s England backroom staff for autumn’s two-match series against Samoa, made the move down under with Brisbane ahead of 2023, playing a key role in Kevin Walters’ coaching team, including reaching the NRL Grand Final in his first year.
The former Wales international continued: “In any walk of life, it’s about timing, and the timing is right (to return to England).
“I’m a St Helens boy, and it ticked every box for us; we’ve got a daughter back here that we hadn’t seen for two years.
“It was a big decision, Brisbane is a fantastic place and the NRL is a fantastic competition.”
