HAVING been confirmed to be returning to the UK for 2025, Warrington Wolves icon Lee Briers’ next role is now official.

The Wire’s record point-scorer, who notched 2,586 points across 425 appearances between 1997 and 2013, is returning to his hometown club St Helens to join Paul Wellens’ coaching staff having spent the past two seasons in the NRL with Brisbane Broncos.

It is a move that returns Briers to his first professional club, for whom he made six first-team appearances before joining Warrington for what would be a glittering spell.

“It's pretty emotional, I've got goosebumps and now it’s getting confirmed the hairs on my arms are standing up, I'm genuinely so excited,” he said.

“In sport you can be a professional, you can give your all for different clubs and you can have great relationships and bonds - but there is nothing like playing or coaching for your hometown club.

“Me and my family never left the town and for 27 or so years I've had to put up with being seen as kind of like the enemy, but now it's just a surreal moment for me and my family – I can’t wait.”

“My conversations with Wello [Paul Wellens] have been everything I thought they would be, in what is a fabulous leader.

“I'm so excited to work under him, learn from him, and add my bit to make the team where the team should be.”

Briers spearheaded Warrington's transformation from relegation candidates to trophy contenders, inspiring them to three Challenge Cup wins in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and winning the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in the 2010 final win over Leeds Rhinos.

Upon his retirement in 2013, Briers joined the Warrington coaching staff and held various roles with the academy and reserve teams before being promoted to the first-team staff as assistant coach to Steve Price.

Upon Price’s departure at the end of 2021, Briers too moved on to bring nearly a quarter of a century at the club to an end.

He took up a similar role at Wigan Warriors for 2022, helping them lift the Challenge Cup before moving to Australia to join the coaching staff of former Wire teammate Kevin Walters at the Broncos.