Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith has said that the departure of half-back Gareth O’Brien does not mean the end of his Warrington career – and has left the door open on him returning.
The Wolves confirmed that O’Brien would leave the club at the end of the season along with other big names like Roy Asotasi and Joel Monaghan.
But Smith believes that O’Brien now needs to move on and become a top half-back at another club – and insisted the door has not closed on him coming back in the future.
“For Gaz it’s time for him to go and run a team if he can,” said Smith. “That would be his idea, to be number one or two rather than the back up half back.
“I think that’s important for his development. Whether he ends up doing that or playing a backup role somewhere else, that’s entirely up to him.
“It’s difficult letting him go anyway because he’s a Warrington boy and he loves the club. It would be difficult to keep him here on standby again.
“I really wish him well for his future and the door’s not shut by any means for Warrington in the future.”
