JOHN KEAR is back in club coaching – and back at Batley Bulldogs.
The 70-year-old has taken charge of the Championship side until the end of the season, with the aim of steering them away from the danger of relegation.
Wales coach Kear, who arrived at Wakefield Trinity mid-season and memorably kept them in Super League against the odds back in 2006, has been out of the club game since leaving Widnes Vikings in June 2023.
He has also coached at Bramley, Paris SG, the original Sheffield Eagles, whom he famously guided to a stunning Challenge Cup final win over Wigan in 1998, Huddersfield, Hull FC, with whom he won the Challenge Cup in 2005, and Bradford Bulls and led France and England as well as Wales, who appointed him in July 2014.
Kear bossed Batley between September 2011 and the end of the 2016 season, when he took them to third place in the Championship and the Qualifiers.
He had guided the Bulldogs to the 2013 Championship Grand Final, where they went down 19-12 to Sheffield at Leigh Sports Village.
Kear returns after the resignation of Mark Moxon, who he brought to the club as his assistant back in 2011.
Moxon, his right-hand man with Wales, also worked under Matt Diskin and Craig Lingard before stepping up to the top job ahead of last season when the latter took the helm at Castleford.
He left after an eighth loss in twelve league games this year (there had been two wins and two draws), saying he felt the team would benefit from a new voice and direction.
Moxon’s assistants Jaymes Chapman and Ben Kaye took charge for last Friday’s visit to Bradford, where Batley were beaten 32-6, and began the preparations for Sunday’s home meeting with Sheffield.
Batley then have a bye round, giving Kear chance to work with the squad before the visit to Barrow Raiders on Sunday, July 13.
Batley chairman Kevin Nicholas explained: “We’ve decided we needed to get an experienced coach to take us to the end of the year and then see where we are in terms of league structure and funding, then make a longer-term appointment.
“In my view, it’s a great achievement to get John back to the club. He will be partly involved for the Sheffield game, then take full charge.”