Chris Hill delighted by Smith stay

Warrington prop Chris Hill has hailed Tony Smith’s new contract as brilliant news, and praised the stability at the club.

The Australian signed a contract extension last month, keeping him at Halliwell-Jones Stadium until November 2015.

Smith, 45, was appointed head coach by Warrington in March 2009, initially combining the job with the England role before giving up the latter eight months later.

He has led the Wolves to three Challenge Cup titles in four years, the League Leaders Shield in 2011 and the club’s first Grand Final appearance since the inception of Super League.

Hill said: “I’m delighted, it’s really good news for the club as well. The club are going places and obviously I want to be part of that.

“Tony has decided to extend his contract which is brilliant and great news for the players and the fans.

“He has brought a lot of stability to the club. He’s just brought his own ways about doing things but it’s worked and everyone has bought into it.

“So it’s good that he has resigned and everyone can look forward to a good few years under him.”

Hill was signed from Championship side Leigh Centurions by Smith at the start of the season and started in Warrington’s Grand Final side that narrowly lost to Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.

The prop added: “It was a great experience and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. It’s something I can look back on even if the result wasn’t right as it just wasn’t our day.

“But it’s been a good year and two finals out of two is not bad. I know we didn’t get the result in the last one that we would have liked, but we can look at that now for next year and hopefully turn the result around and actually win it.”

Hill capped off a fine year for him personally by making his full international debut, starting for England in the Autumn International Series opener against Wales.