‘They rate him very highly in Australia’ – Lee Briers will be hard to tempt back to Warrington says Stevo

Today marks a week since the sacking of Daryl Powell by Warrington Wolves with the ex Castleford Tigers and one time Leeds Rhinos boss being relieved of his duties following a heavy defeat at the hands of Wakefield Trinity.

It marked a run of six consecutive losses and even more worryingly just three wins in twelve, shocking form when contrasted to the Wolves perfect eight from eight start.

The Wire went from Grand Final favourites to a doubt for the playoffs and after just 21 wins in his 50 games at the club, it was time for Powell to go.

The search for a new coach hasn’t been easy either, Warrington seemingly identifying Justin Holbrook as their main candidate straight away only for the ex St Helens boss to negate on the deal at the last minute, despite having flights booked as Sky Sports’ Brian Carney claimed.

Carney made that claim prior to Sky’s broadcast of Warrington falling to defeat against Catalans Dragons, the team led by interim coach and Head of Youth Development Gary Chambers.

That marked another loss and with just six games to go and on the edge of dropping from the playoffs the Wire need a new man in charge, the sooner the better it would seem.

One long shot chance is Lee Briers, something that was discussed by former Sky commentators Eddie Hemmings and Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson on their weekly ‘Eddie and Stevo Podcast’.

Stevo was asked by his co-host Eddie as to whether former Wire man Lee Briers could be tempted back to the Halliwell Jones.

“Well, I think when you’re born and bred in the UK, it depends on family situations. But all I hear is the fact that he loves working up in Brisbane and why not. It’s great weather, it’s very rare it gets cold up in Brisbane.

“He’s doing a fine job and the Broncos are really pushing. They’ve got a good chance of actually lifting the trophy. They are playing outstanding rugby league football, mainly due to the fact that they’ve got a young pack of forwards who are not only good in attack, they’ve got great defence. It’s very rare that you break down, down the middle against the Brisbane Broncos.

“So it would surprise me because it is learning, Briers is learning as much as he can down there and they rate him, otherwise they wouldn’t have wanted him in the first place, but he’s doing a great job with organising the three-quarter line, especially the two half-backs. He’s doing a great job.”

Priced at the time as a 10/1 shot with Betfred, Eddie attested to what a brilliant job Briers had done at Wigan.

“I mean that doesn’t surprise me that he’s doing a great job in in Brisbane because I believe Lee did a great job with Harry Smith for instance at Wigan,  turned him into a a great tactician and what’s more a very very good kicker of the football as well.”

Briers’ Broncos are currently running second in the table so for him to walk away it would likely have to be a big offer tabled by his former club, thankfully Warrington have an extended break now to try and find Powell’s replacement with the Challenge Cup Final taking place next week.