Kieron Purtill becomes Giants assistant for 2013

Huddersfield have appointed Kieron Purtill as an assistant coach for next season.

The all-British coaching staff will be led by the current assistant coach under Nathan Brown, Paul Anderson, following Brown’s departure to St Helens at the end of the current season.

It will be Purtill’s second stint at Huddersfield, after he and Anderson took charge of the Giants in 2008 following the departure of Jon Sharp and prior to the arrival of Nathan Brown. 

Purtill lost his role as assistant coach to Royce Simmons when the then St Helens head coach left the club earlier this season. He is the current England Knights coach, and led his side to an easy 62-4 win over Ireland earlier this season before the International Origin match at Langtree Park.

Now the former Leigh player wants to put his disappointment at Saints behind him.

He said: “Since leaving the Saints earlier in the year I have been able to spend more time on the England Knights and my own personal development plan which has included time down in Australia with some NRL clubs.

“The opportunity to return to Huddersfield and work again with Paul Anderson really appeals to me and I return more experienced but equally as enthused as before as to the potential of the team and the club.”

Both Anderson and Purtill will be assisted by York City Knight player-coach Chris Thorman next season. 

Anderson said he was delighted to be welcoming back his old partner, hinting there is more news to come ahead of the Giants season in 2013.

He said: “We are delighted that Kieron is able to come on board with us and he will be the first of a number of new faces and retentions that we will soon be announcing in respect of next year.

“I have worked with him before of course both at club and representative level and he is familiar with the environment and people here and will be a popular addition to the club.”