Former Warriors coach Andrew McFadden has joined the Raiders as an assistant to head coach Ricky Stuart. Photo / Photosport.
Former Warriors coach Andrew McFadden has joined the Raiders as an assistant to head coach Ricky Stuart. Photo / Photosport.
Former Warriors NRL head coach Andrew McFadden will join Canberra as an assistant to Ricky Stuart next season.
The former Canberra, Parramatta and Melbourne halfback returns to his hometown to join the Raiders on a two-year-deal that will keep him at the club until at least the end of 2020.
The man they call 'Cappy' is back in the Australian capital after six years in Auckland where he started as an assistant to former Warriors head coach Matthew Elliott in 2013.
The 40-year-old took over the top job in 2014 but was sacked in October 2016 after almost three seasons as head coach, before staying on as an assistant to Stephen Kearney over the last two years.
McFadden's move was announced in February and a return to the Raiders always appeared likely after he made 76 playing appearances in the lime green between 1997 and 2001.
Once his playing career ended in 2004, McFadden returned to Canberra and began coaching the club's Jersey Flegg side and later spent three years as an assistant to Raiders head coach David Furner (2010 – 2012).
"We had to go through the process," said McFadden. "Ricky had to find the person that he wanted but I'm very grateful that I've got the opportunity to go back there and coach again."
McFadden's move reunites him with Stuart, who owned the Raiders No 7 jersey when McFadden first emerged in the NRL, before the former dual Australian international left to join Canterbury in 1999.
Stuart is renown as one of the most competitive and intense figures in the game but McFadden describes another side and is excited to work with the three-time grand final, Clive Churchill and Dally M medal winner.
"I had two years in the fulltime squad with Ricky when I first started," he said.
"Most of my early first grade opportunities happened when Ricky was sick [with encephalitis].
"He was great. Ricky is, and has always been, completely competitive on the field. What you see is what you get, in terms of the way he comes across.
"He was always good to me. When I was head coach at the Warriors we'd always have a chat after the game.
"He's very passionate but he's also a very caring person and that always was displayed even back when I came through."
McFadden joins Brett White as Stuart's lieutenants and replaces Mick Crawley who departed the club at the end of the season.
Canberra CEO Don Furner said the club was delighted to have McFadden return to join the Raiders coaching staff.
"Andrew is a very qualified coach who has had experience as an NRL head coach in New Zealand," said Furner. "We are looking forward to him returning to the club and working with Ricky Stuart, Brett White and the playing group."
