Daniel Anderson

Veteran rugby league coach Daniel Anderson has enjoyed a highly successful career which has spanned the globe.

He was awarded the Dally M Coach of the Year in 2002 and the BBC Coach of the Year in 2006. As a world-class Head Coach, he sits in the company of Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and former England rugby union steer Clive Woodward.

Daniel Anderson was appointed head coach of the Parramatta Eels in November 2008 and took the team to the NRL Grand Finals in 2009 before leaving his position in September 2010.

He’s guided two NRL clubs to grand finals and won everything on offer in England. He was the first coach to galvanise the rich potential at the Warriors, taking the club to a minor premiership and almost securing their maiden title He took the Warriors to the 2002 NRL grand final. He took a Parramatta side in turmoil to the 2009 decider.

With St Helens, he won the Challenge Cup three times, the Super League grand final in 2006 and the World Club Challenge in 2007.

Daniel Anderson has coached in the NZ, Australia and the UK and in August 2011, he was appointed coach of the Manu Samoa rugby league team. His goal is to get the team through to the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Cup.

Daniel Anderson is a dynamic, authorative speaker who draws on his experience as a coach in the UK, New Zealand and Australia to entertain audiences.

About Daniel Anderson:

Daniel grew up in Eels territory, spending his formative years in Winston Hills while earning his coaching stripes within the Eels system. He started his career with the Eels’ Harold Matthews Cup squad in 1991, working his way up through the ranks to become an assistant coach under Brian Smith during the 2000 NRL season. Prior the Eels claimed the 1999 Premier League title under Anderson’s coaching.

Daniel Anderson was appointed head coach of Pirtek Parramatta, something of a surprise selection. As head coach of the New Zealand Warriors prior to the start of the 2001 season, Anderson quickly established a reputation on both sides of the Tasman with the Warriors qualifying for their first-ever Finals series at the end of his first year at the helm. 12 months later, in 2002, he was named Dally M Coach of the Year as the Warriors reached their first NRL Grand Final, losing 30-8 to the Sydney Roosters. Anderson took the Warriors to another Finals series in 2003, the same year he replaced Gary Freeman as head coach of the New Zealand national side. He resigned from the Warriors midway through the following season, but continued on as national coach until 2005.

It was with English Super League giant St. Helens that Anderson achieved the bulk of his success as a head coach, leading the famous club to five major trophies, including three Challenge Cup titles and one Super League premiership.

His debut season, 2006, saw the Saints sweep all before them to claim a rare League treble. They finished on top of the Super League ladder at the conclusion of the regular season, securing the League Leader’s Shield. They then defeated Huddersfield 42-12 in the

Challenge Cup Final at Twickenham and Hull 26-4 in the Grand Final of Super League XI at Old Trafford to claim every trophy available in the UK competition.

An 18-14 victory over 2006 NRL Premiers Brisbane in the 2007 World Club Challenge continued Anderson’s run of wins, to which he also added the 2007 and 2008 Challenge Cup titles, defeating Catalans Dragons 30-8 in the 2007 Final and Hull 28-16 in the 2008 decider.

Despite helping Saints claim the League Leader’s Shield in both 2007 & ’08, Anderson was unable to add another Super League title to his long list of achievements with the club, losing consecutive Grand Finals to Leeds Rhinos.

On Monday, 17 November 2008, Daniel Anderson fronted a media conference at Parramatta Stadium to confirm he’d signed a three year deal to coach the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League competition, replacing outgoing head coach Michael Hagan. He left the Eels in September 2010.

Daniel Anderson's achievements at a glance:

• 2007, 2008: Super League Coach of the Year
• 2006, 2007, 2008: Challenge Cup Winner
• 2007: World Club Challenge Winner
• 2006: BBC Coach of the Year
• 2006: Super League Grand Final Winner
• 2002, 2009: NRL Grand Finalist
• 2002: Dally M Coach of the Year

Daniel Anderson’s coaching roles at a glance:

• 2011: Head Coach, Manu Samoa
• 2009-2010: Head Coach, Parramatta Eels NRL team
• 2005-08: Coach, St Helens Superleague team
• 2003-05: Coach, New Zealand Kiwis National team
• 2001-04: Coach, New Zealand Warriors NRL team
• 2000: Asst Coach, Parramatta NRL team
• 1994-99: Coach, Parramatta Junior Representative Sides (Various)