JAMAHL LOLESI is hoping his first official coaching role with the Giants can lead to bigger and better things.

The 30-year-old former New Zealand Test centre announced his retirement as a player two months ago due to a long-standing back problem and immediately signed a one-year assistant coaching deal with the Galpharm club.

Lolesi cut his teeth on the coaching front last year, with the hope he could return to competitive action at some stage.

However, with the specialists eventually advising Lolesi to call it a day on the playing front, he readily accepted the Giants’ new offer – and he is loving every minute of his new challenge.

“These last few months have been great,” said Lolesi, who is effectively third in command at the Giants behind head coach Nathan Brown and assistant Paul Anderson.

“It’s been in complete contrast to last year when I just didn’t know exactly what was happening. The injury meant it was a real period of uncertainty.

“But that’s behind me now, and I’m looking forward to what may lie ahead on my new career path.

“Getting that coaching experience under my belt last year has done me a power of good, and being handed this one-year deal for next season is a fantastic opportunity to further my career.

“At this point, I don’t have any real ambitions to be a head coach.

“I’m just happy to be working with Nathan in the short term and learning off him all the time.

“At the end of next season we’ll have to assess where we are, but I certainly hope this is just the start. I love it.”

DURING his time as a player, Jamahl Lolesi was one of the most popular members of the Huddersfield Giants Super League squad.

Wherever there was laughter, it was a guarantee ‘Jammer’ would be at the heart of it.

He was also a top player, too.

But now the former New Zealand Test centre has had to ‘grow up’.

No longer can Lolesi be ‘Giants Jester’, the life and soul of the squad’s party.

The 30-year-old has had to take a gigantic step back from the traditional player antics of which he was such a central figure and become the mature coach, as his new role requires.

Fortunately, however, he’s had relatively little trouble making the adjustment – and for that, he has his former ‘teammates’ to thank.

“Making that adjustment is something all potential coaches need to think about,” said Lolesi, pictured.

“But I’ve always believed that the transition from player to coach only works if that new coach has the respect of the squad, and I’d like to think I’ve got that.

“I haven’t gone into coaching telling everyone what to do, my attitude has been to pass on the advice from the older players I’ve received in the past in the hope I can help make that player better.

“And with working with Browny closely, he takes on the disciplinary role to make my job a little easier.

“But I think what’s been the biggest thing for me is the response I’ve had from the players.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to get my first taste of coaching working with such a great bunch of boys, who are always willing to learn and listen to what you’ve got to say.

“I know that without their support my task would have been a lot harder.

“With this group you don’t generally have to tell them off or be hard on them during certain things.

“That means I do feel I’ve got more of a teaching role than a bossing role, which they totally respect.

“As a former three-quarter, I’m working with the outside backs – that’s my department – and I feel I have enough knowledge to pass on, which does make me feel even more comfortable.

“As a coach, it’s really rewarding to see the players you work with showing an improvement, however small or large that may be.

“And with the quality of youngsters we have in this squad, I can’t wait so see those improvements continue.”

But while Lolesi does enjoy the on-field training work, he admits there’s far more to coaching than that.

“One of the biggest things you have to adjust to is the really long hours you need to put in as a coach,” added Lolesi, who was married to Katie in Huddersfield a month ago.

“When you’re playing, it’s more or less a case of turning up for training and being back home at just after one in the afternoon.

“Obviously, you’re very tired when you finish, but it’s not exactly a full day’s work.

“But when you’re working with Browny you soon find he’s a bit of a work maniac.

“It’s starts of between 6-6.30 every morning and we often don’t get home to between 7-7.30 each night. They’re obviously long hours in anyone’s book.

“But, at the same time, they’re also very enjoyable, because you’re spending time with your mates, who also work hard and share the same goal of trying to make the Giants the very best.”