Ryan Sheridan on what makes Daryl Powell a special coach

A relationship spanning three decades has seen them be teammates, half-back partners and now a coaching duo at their third different club.

Sheridan has been Powell’s faithful right-hand man at Featherstone Rovers and Castleford Tigers and when the chance came to join him at Warrington Wolves, it was one he could not turn down.

“It was an easy decision for me,” he said.

“I obviously had a great time at Castleford but Daryl and I have been working together for so long.

“We know each other inside out, we’ve both got our strengths and we work well together.

“With Warrington being an absolutely massive club, it was a really exciting opportunity so for me, it was a no-brainer.

Daryl Powell has brought Ryan Sheridan with him to Warrington as assistant coach. Picture by SWPix.com

“We’ve known each other since I was 16 playing at Sheffield. All told, we’ve known each other more than 30 years and have obviously been coaching together for a really long time.

“I was at Leeds and then Daryl came over from Keighley, so we played half-back together at Leeds.

“I always thought a lot about the game as a player and how I could make things better, and Daryl was a real leader on the field as a player.

“He’s just a great coach. He’s got a great instinct for the game and he gets the best out of people around him – players and staff.

“There’s so many good qualities to him but if you bring it all together, it makes a top-class coach.”

Along with Sheridan, Powell has brought fellow assistant coach Danny Evans and head analyst Ste Mills with him from Castleford.

Evans will take care of the reserve team and will act as a transition coach to make young players’ path to the senior group as smooth as possible.

While Powell focuses on the team’s attack, Sheridan has been tasked with shaping the Wire defence – an area in which they were perhaps strongest during the Steve Price era.

Sheridan gives out instructions during pre-season training. Picture by Warrington Wolves

“There’s a bit to change but I think it’s just improving on what’s gone before,” Sheridan said.

“The team’s been very good from a defensive point of view but we’ve seen areas in which we think we could get better.

“That’s what we have to do if we’re to get up to the benchmark teams like St Helens.

“Warrington have been a good defensive team for a few years but we’ve challenged individuals to get better and take us to that next level.

“That was laid down and hopefully that’s what we’ve managed to do over pre-season

“They’ve been absolute class. Everyone from the players, the staff that were already here such as (head of performance) Ade Gardner and (strength and conditioning coach) Chris Baron, have been really accommodating.

“Times have obviously changed here, and change is good if you see it in the right way. Everybody here has so it’s been a great pre-season.”