HUDDERSFIELD have added former international forward Darren Fleary to their coaching staff in a full-time role.
The 53-year-old ex-Giants player has been working part-time in his hometown club’s development set-up, and will now be Academy assistant coach.
It’s a development which has pleased coach Luke Robinson (pictured), who has already welcomed club stalwart Leroy Cudjoe into his backroom team after the 37-year-old former England star retired as a player at the end of last season.
“Leroy has already made a massive difference, and getting Daz Fleary in full-time is also great news,” he said.
“I’ve spoken in the past about probably being understaffed at coaching level, maybe one or two light, and the more heads and eyes you have on that side, the more detail you can give to the players.
“Daz is an experienced bloke who speaks with authority, and he will not only be another coach but also a particular help to Steve Fox (promoted to head of youth in December) and everyone in the Academy in giving those young lads a really good grounding.”
Robinson, who has former Dewsbury Rams and Halifax Panthers coach Liam Finn as his assistant, is also pleased with the work of Gaz Whittaker, who became head of performance in November after working as head of strength and conditioning at the old Salford Red Devils.
“Gaz has been phenomenal. We have made a few changes to the backroom staff and I think it will pay dividends,” he added.
Fleary, having started out at Huddersfield amateur side Moldgreen, topped 300 appearances in a playing career which ran from 1991 to 2005, also took in Dewsbury, Keighley Cougars, Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards (then Centurions), and brought outings with Yorkshire, England and Great Britain.
Since then he has worked in the prison service and coached at another Huddersfield amateur side, Newsome Panthers, and Brighouse Rangers.
“Having previously been a player and from coaching the Scholarship, to coach the Academy and work with Steve Fox is going to be brilliant,” he said.
Fox added: “I’ve known Daz a long, long time, and when I took over at Scholarship level, I was keen to bring him in.
“His experience and knowledge and the way he speaks to the younger generation is very good, so we were really keen to have him here full-time.”