Alex Corvo, renowned as one of the NRL’s toughest trainers, has been signed from the Brisbane Broncos as the Vodafone Warriors move to bolster their football department following their disappointing season.

Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George and head coach Stephen Kearney said securing a strength and conditioning coach of Corvo’s standing was a critical appointment as the club seeks to make required improvements to its football programme.

Kearney has first-hand knowledge of Corvo’s training methods as a player and assistant coach with the Melbourne Storm while the two also worked together at the Broncos.

“Alex’s reputation is well-established, not only with the Storm and the Broncos but also with the Kangaroos and the Queensland Origin team,” said Kearney.

“We identified a need to bring in someone of Alex’s calibre to add to our resources in the football department and to bring a hard edge and attitude to the environment.

“I can’t rate him highly enough after training under him as a player at the Storm and then working alongside him as a coach.”

George said securing Corvo was a key development as the Vodafone Warriors worked through their 2017 review and planned for the offseason and the 2018 campaign.

“After the way we performed this year, we had to make changes in football. We weren’t good enough and we’ll be doing all we can to effect change as we seek major improvements across the staff and the squad,” he said.

“Alex’s record speaks for itself. He’s the ideal person to fill the need we have identified.”

As a prop, Corvo’s playing career included five first-grade appearances for Canberra in 1991.

He was Melbourne’s head of performance from 2002-2013, an era when the Storm made five NRL grand finals and won three of them.

He has been head of strength and conditioning with the Broncos since 2013 while he spent six years in the same role with the Kangaroos from 2009-2015 and was on the Maroons’ performance staff in their successful Origin campaigns in the past two years.