After coaching Southern Suburbs, Brisbane 3rd Grade and Milton Keynes, UK, Anderson moved back to Australia, becoming a development officer for Queensland Rugby League between 1989 and 1992.
[2] He then accepted assistant coach role Gold Coast Seagulls, an ARL side playing in the Winfield Cup.
He then moved to the Western Reds as Development Manager (1995–97)[2] and from there become the assistant coach at Melbourne Storm[2] (1997–2000).
During this period Anderson also was assistant coach with Australia Kangaroos and the World Cup team 2000.
The other assistant coach Gordon Macpherson, Searancke, NZ, with Anderson, an Australian, making an entire antipodean management team.
[2] Telfer states that this was already in his plans before the management changeover at Glasgow; as Anderson had particular skills in that area.