FARTOWN favourite Lee St Hilaire has been promoted to the Giants full-time coaching staff.

The Huddersfield-born former hooker has been handed a two-year contract and will have overall control of the club's Academy and Scholarship set-up.

He will also have a major role with in-coming head coach Jon Sharp with next season's Super League squad, although it will not be as his No2.

That position has still to be filled following the news that current assistant coach Steve Deakin will be in charge of French club Union Treiziste Catalan next year.

But this new role is still a major promotion for the 37-year-old, who first signed at Fartown in 1985.

Apart from two seasons away at Castleford and Hunslet, he has spent all his career with his hometown club, and Giants chief executive Ralph Rimmer believes St Hilaire, pictured, is the perfect man for this newly-created job.

"Lee cares passionately about this club and that has been reflected in his coaching," said Rimmer.

"He is a top coach and a quality individual and will now be in a position to make an even greater contribution to the club.

"Over the past few years the outstanding quality of his coaching has got better and better, and this position is a reward for all his efforts. Lee has done a magnificent job in helping to develop our very talented young players and make them into even better players.

"He now has even more scope to continue that work."

St Hilaire is already playing a larger part in the current coaching set-up under head coach Tony Smith.

He was Smith's assistant in the stand during Sunday's 26-14 triumph over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

He could play that role again at Castleford Tigers on Friday (8.00) as the Giants look to keep their Super League play-off hopes alive.

Good news for Smith is that all 17 players who were in action against the Wildcats reported for training yesterday injury-free.

"Sunday was a tough match and having every player available for this Friday is a bonus," said Smith.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to make the most of this."

St Hilaire's first duty in the new position will be to join Rimmer as one of the panelists at tomorrow night's Fans' Forum at the McAlpine Stadium (7.30). The event takes place in the Football Trust Suite.

* The Flyers still have a limited number of coach tickets for Friday night's trip to Castleford Tigers. They are available from Tony Iredale Travel.

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