Warriors head coach Matthew Elliott has completed his coaching staff by luring Andrew McFadden away from the Canberra Raiders to Mt Smart.

McFadden's appointment comes a week after Elliott confirmed New Zealand 18s and Vulcans coach Ricky Henry as one of his two assistant coaches for his first campaign as Warriors head coach.

Like Henry, McFadden is also only 34 having ended his 100-game NRL playing career as a halfback at the Raiders at the age of just 26 in 2004 after on-going problems with a chronic groin injury.

He not only played for Canberra under Elliott - in 2001 - but also made his way into coaching under Elliott's watch at the Raiders after his retirement.

McFadden was an assistant coach to David Furner at Canberra but was released from his contract yesterday enabling him to officially join Elliott on the Warriors' coaching staff.

"I had a great time at Canberra as both a player and a coach but the chance to join Matt at a club like the Warriors is hugely exciting," he said.

"This club has so much going for it with a fantastic pool of talent to draw on while I'm also thrilled about having the opportunity to not only work with Matt again but to also join Ruben (Wiki) and Carl (Jennings) after being involved with them in the past."

McFadden's former Canberra team-mate Wiki was named a strength and conditioning coach a week ago while Jennings, who previously worked with Elliott at Bradford, Canberra and Penrith, was last month appointed the Warriors' head strength and conditioning coach.

Elliott said both he and the Warriors would benefit immensely from McFadden's input.

"I've had a lot to do with Andrew and I couldn't be more excited about having him on board," he said.

"I place the highest value on his insight into the game and I also know he'll ensure he keeps me accountable. We have a very good relationship. He's upfront, the sort of guy you need on your staff.

"It's really heartening to have Andrew and Ricky in place. Now we can get on with the job we have ahead of us."

McFadden's playing career was in the ascendancy when he and fellow playmaker Mark McLinden were famed as Canberra's 'Mac Attack' just before and after the turn of the 21st century.

He made his first-grade debut against Cronulla in the Super League in 1997 when his team-mates included not only Wiki - then in the centres - but also Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Quentin Pongia, Brett Mullins, Ken Nagas and Luke Priddis.

McFadden went on to make 76 appearances for the Raiders from 1997-2001 before one season with Parramatta in 2002 and two years with Melbourne.

He returned to Canberra to join the coaching staff under Elliott in 2005, first as the club's Jersey Flegg coach and then its New South Wales premier league coach in 2006. In 2007 he moved to the English Super League for a two-year stint as Mick Potter's assistant coach at Les Catalans Dragons (coinciding with Warriors legend Stacey Jones having his second and final season there in 2007). In 2009, McFadden was back with the Raiders as their NYC coach and has been Furner's NRL assistant the last three seasons.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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