CHRIS Tuson admits he has only just come to terms with his premature retirement in his new role with Hull FC.
The 26-year-old was forced to call time on his career after suffering a recurrence of a spinal injury in July.
Admitting he found the first few months difficult in the aftermath of hanging up his boots, Tuson has now settled into his post as the club's wrestling coach and player welfare officer.
"At first, I think my confidence needed a bit of a boost because one day I was playing alongside the lads and the next day I was telling them what to do," he told the Mail.
"That was a bit awkward at first, but I've settled in quite quickly.
"I'm learning that not everyone learns in the same way. Some lads like to listen and take in as much as possible. Others think they know more than sometimes they do.
"But I'm learning how to deal with different characters and how to speak to different players to get the best out of them."
Tuson was one of Lee Radford's first signings, arriving from Wigan after withdrawing from a move to Wakefield.
With a new bunch of team-mates to impress, Tuson suffered a major blow without playing a game when first suffering the spinal injury during pre-season training.
Although he finally made his debut in March, the Challenge Cup and Grand Final winner was "devastated" when a recurrence forced him to take medical advice and hang up his boots. However, he is now making his impact felt off the field after being drafted onto Radford's staff.
"The lads knew how devastated I was when I had to finish playing," added Tuson.
"They understood what rugby meant to me and I found it very hard to tell them I had to quit. But they've been really good with me since I went on to the coaching staff. I'm enjoying myself again."
