CONFIDENT Giants coach Jon Sharp is backing new Academy supremo Lee St Hilaire to be a major player in his Super League plans.

Although St Hilaire is heading the club's Junior and Senior Academy set-ups, head coach Sharp has confirmed he will also be working with the first-team squad on a full-time basis.

Sharp remains on the look-out for another coaching assistant, but it is clear former Fartown hooker St Hilaire will be carrying out many tasks undertaken by a second in command.

And Sharp knows he will be able to depend on him.

"Getting Lee on a full-time basis was a key signing for me," revealed Sharp.

"He has done some tremendous work with the juniors and helped bring some quality young players through to the first team, such as Iain Morrison and Eorl Crabtree.

"He'll continue this work, but will now spend the day with the first team.

"What he will do is work on the systems employed by the senior squad and then take them back and mirror them with the Academy boys, thus ensuring continuity at every level. That's an important role and Lee is the ideal man for that role."