Huddersfield Giants coach Simon Woolford has been linked with a return to the NRL next year to join the Penrith Panthers.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Woolford is a contender to replace Trent Barrett as an assistant coach on Ivan Cleary’s coaching staff at the Panthers in 2021.

Barrett is headed to Canterbury at the end of the year as head coach.

Woolford did not respond to requests for comment from Everything Rugby League.

The 45-year-old was appointed coach of Huddersfield in April 2018 on a two and a half year deal. He has a 48% win rate at the John Smith’s Stadium with 23 wins and 25 losses from 48 games.

The former Canberra Raiders and St George Illawarra hooker served as coach of the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Rugby League competition after retiring from the NRL.

Woolford then spent time as coach of the Newcastle Knights NSW Cup team before moving to England.

In his first season in Super League he took the Giants to a sixth-place finish, but last year the club finished tenth and narrowly avoided relegation.

In 2020 Huddersfield currently sit in fifth spot with four victories and three defeats from seven games.

Woolford is off-contract at the Giants at the end of this year.