FORMER Bradford Bulls head coach Eamon O'Carroll has finally been confirmed as part of St.Helens' first team coaching team.
He will take on the role of assistant coach ahead of the 2025 rugby league season and will serve as Paul Wellens’ understudy alongside Lee Briers, as part of a revamped coaching team for the Super League outfit.
Bulls were rocked by O’Carroll's shock departure in October, with the club intent on building on what had been a very positive campaign under the guidance of the former Widnes player.
He guided Bradford to a 3rd place finish in the regular Betfred Championship calendar, before his side suffered a heartbreaking 21-20 defeat at Toulouse in the play-off semi-finals.
Of course, since then Brian Noble has been confirmed as Bradford's new head coach.
Speaking at the time of O'Carroll's shock exit, Bradford Bulls CEO Jason Hirst said: “Eamon informed me, this week, that he wanted to accept an opportunity to work at a full-time Super League club.
“While somewhat surprised and naturally disappointed at his resignation, I and the club sympathise with, understand and respect his desire to work closer to his family home in the North West, to allow him to spend more quality time with his young family.
"On behalf of everyone at the Bradford Bulls, I sincerely thank him for his hard work, conscientiousness and achievements this past year and wish him nothing but the absolute best in his future coaching career.
O’Carroll, who was announced as the St.Helens assistant today, spoke to saintsrlfc.com and said: “I’m really excited and honoured to be joining a club of the stature of St.Helens, it’s a huge honour not just for myself but for my family as well. I feel refreshed after a couple of weeks off and I’m ready to go, settle and be closer to home and my family at a really good club. This is huge for me, and I feel I can really get stuck in and work well at St.Helens.”
Reflecting on his season as the head coach at Bradford, O’Carroll said: “I loved my time at Bradford, it was fantastic, and I learned a hell of a lot with a great support network around me; it has only been positive for me there.”
St.Helens head coach Paul Wellens added: “I know people who have worked with Eamon in the past and talked glowingly about him, particularly with his experiences in Catalans and this year at Bradford, and having met with him a number of times I can see clearly why people hold him in high regard.
“Eamon has a solid knowledge based around the game, a hunger, a passion, and enthusiasm for coaching. It was an easy decision to bring him in and strengthen us, he wants to keep developing and I think he will really complement our coaching team as well.”
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