Hodgson to join Wests Tigers

Brett Hodgson will leave Widnes Vikings at the end of the 2017 season to move to NRL club Wests Tigers as their Assistant Head Coach.

Hodgson, who is Assistant Coach of the Vikings’ first team and Head Coach of the Under 19s, has been a member of the coaching set-up since 2013.

He was appointed as Head Coach of the Widnes Vikings Academy in March 2015.

Hodgson said: “I’d like to thank everyone at Widnes Vikings. I’ve enjoyed my time here and will leave with some special memories.

“Widnes gave me a great opportunity to coach and I’ll always be grateful for everything that I’ve learned here.

“I’m excited to take the next step in my career with Wests Tigers, which offers a fantastic opportunity to return to a club that I know well and develop my career in the NRL.

“I’ll leave knowing that Widnes supporters have a lot to look forward to. The Academy has some great young players with real talent.

“I’m sure that many will step up into the first team in the seasons ahead, and I’m excited to see them progress.

“In the meantime, I’m fully focussed on supporting the Vikings’ first team and Academy this season.”

Widnes’ CEO James Rule added: “It was an easy decision for Denis and I to give Brett his first full-time coaching role, as we could see the potential that he had.

“He has fulfilled that potential, not only in working with the senior players but also in his excellent work with our Academy.

“We recognise that this is a fabulous opportunity for Brett to test himself in the NRL and we wish him the best of luck for the next chapter of his career.

“On behalf of everyone at Widnes, I would like to thank him for his contribution to the club.”