Former St George Illawarra and Newcastle coach Nathan Brown was confirmed Saturday as the new coach of the New Zealand Warriors with Phil Gould joining the club as a consultant. Brown's appointment comes seven weeks after the Warriors sacked Stephen Kearney midway through Australia's National Rugby League competition and after stand-in coach Todd Payten turned down the full-time role. "We couldn't be more delighted to have Nathan as our new head coach," club chief executive Cameron George said when announcing the 47-year-old Brown had signed a three-year deal. "He has had an extensive involvement in the game as both a first-grade player and then as a coach in the NRL and the Super League." Brown played in three grand finals during his playing career with St George and St George Illawarra before turning to coaching at the age of 29 and working with St George Illawarra and Newcastle in the NRL as well as Huddersfield and St Helens in the English Super League. George said Gould would provide "advice and guidance in key strategic areas" designed to build the Warriors' commercial and general profile. Gould, a former player and coach and now a prominent media commentator, was general manager with the Penrith Panthers from 2011 to 2019 when he drove the rebuilding of the club, which is currently leading this year's NRL competition. The Warriors, who have been based in Australia since early May because of COVID-19 enforced travel restrictions, are currently 11th. cf/amj