McFadden to return to Warriors in new role

Former Vodafone Warriors head coach Andrew ‘Cappy’ McFadden is coming back to Mount Smart Stadium to take up a new position as the club’s general manager recruitment, development and pathways.

The 44-year-old ex-Canberra, Parramatta and Melbourne halfback spent six seasons at Mount Smart Stadium from 2013-2018 before returning to the Raiders in an assistant coaching role.

While announcing Fadden’s appointment, Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George said the club’s general manager football Craig Hodges was leaving to pursue coaching opportunities in Australia.

“Bringing Cappy and his family back to the Vodafone Warriors is so exciting for us,” said George.

“He has a great affinity with the club and with New Zealand. He’s driven now to step away from coaching at NRL level and step into the critical area of recruitment, development and pathways.

“We’ve invested heavily in development and pathways while being based in Australia for the last three years and we have even bigger plans in this space with our full football operation coming back to New Zealand from next season.

“Part of his role will be to identify and mentor young coaches in our system.

“Cappy also has a relationship with (new head coach) Andrew Webster from the days when he was head coach here and Webby was an assistant coach.”

While welcoming McFadden’s imminent return, George said the club deeply appreciated the work Hodges had done.

“Craig started with us an assistant coach and then stepped into the role of general manager football,” he said.

“He has wonderful qualities and has made a fantastic contribution but he still has a strong desire to coach so unfortunately, with no position here, he is looking for opportunities in Australia.”

McFadden has spent the last four seasons with head coach Ricky Stuart at Canberra, a period which has seen the Raiders reach the NRL grand final in 2019 and the preliminary final in 2020.

After stints as an assistant coach with Les Catalans in the Super League and the Raiders in the NRL, McFadden joined the Vodafone Warriors as an assistant coach in 2013.

In 2014 he took over as head coach until the end of the 2016 season before continuing as an assistant coach in 2017 and 2018.