Former Narrabri Blue Boars junior to coach the club in 2022

There’s a great sense of pride and excitement around Narrabri Rugby Club at the moment, following the decision to appoint a former local junior as both club coach and first grade head coach for the 2022 season.

Peter Firth grew up in Narrabri, where he was a junior Blue Boar alongside the likes of Todd Farrer, Luke Findley and Matt Schwager.

He left Narrabri in 2002 to board at Toowoomba Grammar and between then and now has played for the University of Queensland and Wests Bulldogs in Queensland’s first grade competition, played for and coached club teams in both Scotland and New Zealand, spent time as development officers of both Queensland Rugby Union and Rugby Southland in New Zealand and was also a coach at the Western Force foundation academy and the Western Force academy.

He will return to Narrabri in January and meet the club’s players and officials before pre-season training gets underway.

Firth replaces premiership-winning Blue Boars coach Hunter Harley who spent two COVID-19-affected years as the club’s first grade coach in 2019 and 2020.

Narrabri Rugby Club president Mick Coffey described the acquisition of Firth as the Blue Boars’ club coach and first grade coach as a major coup.

“He’s got more coaching experience than anyone else we can access,” Coffey said.

“With Jack Farrer now gone (from a club coach position), we are getting a bloke with plenty of experience – a different kind of experience but that same high level of expertise.

“He will hopefully carry on where Jack left off.

“Jack left a benchmark that I’d like to think we’ll never stop aspiring to.

“We are an amateur bush footy club, but at the same time, we throw words around like professionalism.

“I can only see Peter building on that. He’s going to improve what he finds.

“He’s certainly coming in with plenty of enthusiasm and passion. It’s a huge coup to get someone like him back.”

Coffey told The Courier that the club was proud to have a former Blue Boar back at the helm and added that Firth would also bring a fresh start to the club.

“From the likes of Hunter (Harley), Todd (Farrer), Tookey (Dylan Duncan) even back to Lenno (Nick Lennon), we’ve had some great local coaches in recent years,” Coffey said.

“Peter is a proud Blue Boars junior who’s continued to watch the club from a distance during his time away.

“He could have taken plenty of any coaching roles anywhere, but he’s chosen to come home and try to deliver something here and help us build, which is humbling for the club and a real nod to everyone who has steered the ship in recent years, not just first grade coaches but all of our coaches.

“He also brings a fresh start.

“I’ve got just as much chance of playing first grade next year as Matt McDonnell does. It’s a clean slate.

“Peter won’t be worried about who you are or what your reputation might be.

“He’ll be coming in and assessing everyone on their merits.

“Everyone is going to feel an equal opportunity to get into first grade, and if you’re not selected in first grade, well, you’re a chance the next week.”

Joining the Blue Boars’ coaching staff as Firth’s assistant is a former local junior and first grade best and fairest winner Jake Packer.

Packer and Firth spoke last week via Zoom and were reportedly both pleased with the appointment of one another and cannot wait to work together in 2022.

Meanwhile, Peta Cox, Kate Brown, and Will Guest will co-coach the Blue Boars’ women’s side next season.

The club has not yet appointed coaches for its second grade, third grade or colts teams, however, announcements are expected in the coming weeks.