Paul Anderson knows assistant coach Kieron Purtill will remain 100% focused on the Giants for the rest of the Super League XXI season.

It was announced during the week that Purtill will be leaving Huddersfield at the end of the 2016 campaign to take up a coaching role at hometown club Leigh Centurions.

That will bring the curtain down on a highly-successful decade for the former half-back at the West Yorkshire club.

And while Anderson knows his right-hand man will relish the challenge that lies ahead, he also knows that won’t affect the way he works at the Giants between now and the end of the current top-flight campaign.

“Although I’m disappointed to be losing Kieron, I’m still over the moon for him,” said Anderson.

“I know it was a tough decision for him to make. But, at the end of the day, he’s returning ‘home’.

Huddersfield Giants' Assistant Coach Kieron Purtill First Utility Super League XXI Castleford v Huddersfield 03/04/16 (Pic by John Rushworth)

“As well as taking on this exciting new challenge, it also means he’ll cut down dramatically on his travelling time and be able to spend a lot more time with his family and his two young boys. That means a lot to him.

“Having said that, he never complains about all the travel involved in getting over to Huddersfield at the crack of dawn and then leaving late on.

“He’s always gone above and beyond the call of duty in everything he’s done.

“I’ve got nothing but admiration for the man, he’s a high-quality coach and someone who’s not just a colleague but a good friend.

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“But before he does move on, we’ve obviously got someunfinished business at the Giants first.

“I know how professional is, and now we’ve got the announcement out of the way I know he’ll be focusing all his attention on making sure we have a big finish to our year.

“With the way things are progressing, we haven’t ruled out Kieron finishing his time in Huddersfield on a massive high.”