Workington appoint Chris Thorman as new coach

Chris Thorman has been appointed head coach at Workington following the departure of Leon Pryce.

Thorman, 38, was cleared to make a return to rugby league last month after an enforced absence, which brought to an end his time as assistant coach at Huddersfield.

He said: “When this vacancy came up it was too good an opportunity to miss. Town are well regarded within the game for how they operate on and off the pitch. In the many discussions I’ve had with the club over the last few days, I’ve been very impressed with where they want to be and how they want to get there.

“Their strategy is very clear and I can help deliver it on the pitch. We’ve got a fantastic group of very talented players and with a few additional signings we’ll have a squad capable of getting up to the top of the table.”

Workington’s decision to part company with Leon Pryce, who led them to within 80 minutes of promotion last season, raised a few eyebrows.

But they currently sit seventh in League One with three wins from seven games.

Club chairman Les Smallwood said: “We knew that we wanted an experienced coach who could take the club forward against our agreed strategy.

“We’ve had intensive conversations over the last few days and Chris has impressed us with his knowledge, passion and clarity of thought on the direction he wants to take to move the season on.

“In the short period of time we’ve had to discuss, Chris has done lots of analysis and will hit the ground running tonight when he meets the players for the first time.

“He’s a big believer in a disciplined but enjoyable environment and that aligns with the board’s thoughts.”

Thorman made just shy of 300 appearances in his playing career, including a season in the NRL with Parramatta.