WOLVES boss Tony Smith wants new signing Mike Cooper to add to the team's leadership when he rejoins the club.

The England international will return to Wolves next season after signing a three-year deal.

The 27-year-old left the club to move to Australia in 2014 but will re-join Tony Smith’s side ahead of the 2017 season.

The former Latchford Albion junior has made 60 NRL appearances for St George Illawarra Dragons and earned rave reviews for his performances, which earned him three England caps in the autumn series with New Zealand.

Smith says he is surprised by the timing of Cooper’s decision but is nevertheless delighted to have him back.

“It’s really good for us, he’s a nice young man and I enjoyed working with him last time around,” he said.

“I’m not surprised he’s come back but, with him going so well over there, I thought he might have stayed a bit longer but I know when he left he expressed a desire to come back at some stage.

“I’ve said it before, we’ve probably missed some of that by letting him go but it was the right thing to do at the time.

“He probably would have been one of our senior players in the past couple of years that could have been good for us but it was the right thing for him to go and have a crack and he’s done well.”

The Wolves boss also said he wants Cooper to follow the likes of Chris Hill and become a leader in the pack.

“Hilly’s established himself in that respect as well as other senior players and that’s what Coops will bring to us as well, more experience and leadership,” he said.

“Chris Hill doesn’t do that alone, he’s got leaders around him and Mike will add to that leadership group.”