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Rugby League

Smith returns for family affair at Bradford Bulls

19/05/2006

Brian Smith has returned to Super League outfit Bradford Bulls after a ten-year absence, albeit on a short-term deal as voluntary assistant to current coach Steve McNamara.

Smith recently left league club Parramatta in his native Australia and will assist McNamara until the end of the current season, joining son Rohan and younger brother Tony, who are assistant coach and coach at Harlequins and Leeds Rhinos respectively.

McNamara explained Smith's reappointment came about almost accidentally, but he was glad to have the help of the man who led the Bulls into the Super League in its inaugural season in 1996 and gave him his first professional contract as a 17-year-old.

"The opportunity arose because of his resignation from Parramatta but it came out of the blue. We traded a couple of half-joking texts saying I was looking for an assistant," McNamara said.

"It's unbelievable news for the club and fantastic news for me personally. He is doing it first and foremost because of our personal friendship but he also believes it will be of benefit to him for the rest of his coaching career."

Although Smith will have no "specific role", the current Bulls coach believes that the "wise owl's" return would be "good for the English game".

The new coaching team's first game is against Rohan Smith's Leeds Rhinos next week.


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