Hunslet appoint former Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR player as new head coach
Former Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR player Kyle Trout has been appointed as Dean Muir's successor as Hunslet head coach.
The 34-year-old, who also represented Dewsbury Rams, Sheffield Eagles and Featherstone Rovers during his playing days, steps up from his role as assistant coach to take on his first head coaching job.
Trout has been tasked with steering Hunslet to safety following a tough start to life in the Championship for last year's League One play-off winners.
"The club means a lot to me," he said. "I'm both privileged and honoured to take on this responsibility.
"We know this season hasn't been good enough and are committed to making our supporters proud again. That starts with hard work, unity and belief in the project ahead.
"The players are under no illusions as to my expectations."
Hunslet enjoyed a remarkable run to promotion under Muir in 2024, beating Rochdale Hornets, Keighley Cougars and Swinton Lions on the road in consecutive weeks to end their nine-year stay in the third tier.
However, Muir paid the price for a disappointing start at the end of last month and Hunslet's struggles have continued, leaving the club rock bottom with eight games remaining.
Director of rugby Darren Higgins is convinced Trout is the right man to lead the Parksiders into a new era.
"After a thorough evaluation, it became clear that Kyle brings the vision, hunger and inside knowledge to lead us forward," he said.
"We are not ignoring the difficulties of this season; we are facing them head-on – and we believe Kyle is the right person to turn things around from the inside out."