Former Wests Tigers fullback and 2005 premiership winner Brett Hodgson has returned to Australia for a new challenge.
Announced in a media statement by Rugby Australia, Hodgson was appointed as the new defence coach for the Australian Wallabies in rugby union. His appointment brings him back to Australia after a playing and coaching stint in the English Super League.
Leaving the NRL in 2008, Hodgson played 126 games for Huddersfield and Warrington before moving into the head coach role with Hull FC. In this time he achieved the Man of Steel Award in 2009
The fullback was a key part of the Wests Tigers 2005 Premiership run, where he scored 308 points throughout the year. He amassed 225 NRL games across 12 seasons for the Eels, Western Suburbs and the Wests Tigers.
"I'm really excited to be back in Australia and working with the Wallabies, especially in a World Cup year," Hodgson said in a Rugby Australia media statement.
"There's plenty of hard work ahead and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running and making a positive contribution to the team."
"The Wallabies are a team everyone in Australia loves to get behind and from what I've seen so far there's plenty of talent here and that's something that's really exciting."