THE Australian press is reporting that Saints have made a double swoop into NRL outfit Brisbane Broncos to strengthen their attack with on and off-field appointments.

But as ever, until any deals are signed, sealed, delivered and ready to announce the club are remaining tight-lipped on the talk. 

Australia’s Daily Telegraph have this morning reported that not only will assistant coach Lee Briers return to his home town club, but he will be joined by pacy full back or stand off Tristan Sailor.

Briers yesterday confirmed that he was leaving Brisbane at the end of a two-year stay in the NRL to return to the UK – and talk has gathered pace of his move back to the club he left as an 18-year-old in 1997.

It is understood that Briers, who has enhanced his reputation as an attack coach in stints at Warrington, Wigan and the Broncos, spoke with the club earlier this week.

As is always the case with transfer speculation, the club are offering ‘no comment’.

It is a further development from yesterday when the Broncos released a statement on Briers' future.

"It's been a really tough decision to head back home but firstly I want to thank Kev (Walters, Brisbane head coach) and the Broncos for giving me this opportunity,” Briers said.

“It's not often that you get an English coach coming over and plying his trade in the NRL, so massive thanks to Kev and (CEO) Dave (Donaghy) and the club for taking a chance on me.

"I'm sad to be going but our family had to deal with some loss last year and the time is right now to go back home – we still have our daughter living in the UK and we do miss her, so the time is right to go back.

"We are forever grateful and we'll look back on these two years as one of the best experiences of our lives.

"It's been a joy to watch everybody grow at the club and this is really just the start of a very long and successful time for the Broncos – everyone is connected and pushing in the same direction – and I'm really looking forward to the next few months of football and finishing on a high with this team.”

The 26-year-old Sailor is contracted with the Broncos for another season, but the Telegraph report that he would be released from that contract to take up what they describe as a “lucrative” deal with the Saints.

Sailor has found himself behind the pecking order, with Queensland State of Origin full back Reece Walsh occupying the number one shirt.

With Saints attack coming in for criticism this year, if the two are confirmed then it will give a new dimension to what they do with the ball as they gradually adjust from the style that won them the last three of their four Grand Finals.

Sailor, who would effectively replace the departing scrum half Lewis Dodd in the spine, will inject some pace and potency into the attack.

It would probably mean skipper Jonny Lomax moving to scrum half and keeping Jack Welsby at one.

That will allow them to continue to nurture youngster George Whitby for the seven role, with teenage full back Harry Robertson offering cover for the full back and number six roles, with Will Roberts also continuing to develop.