Narrabri Blue Boars announce coaches for the 2023 campaign

Narrabri Rugby Club will enter next year’s Central North Rugby Union campaign with a strong contingent of coaches as the Blue Boars attempt to improve on what was a significantly successful 2022 season.

The club’s premiership-winning first grade coach Jake Packer has returned for another year in the top job and is keen to deliver another premiership.

The second grade coaches include Todd Farrer, Dylan Duncan and Chase Magner, and the women’s team will be coached by Peta Cox and Mick Coffey.

Coffey, who is the club’s president, is thrilled with the appointments.

“It’s an incredible group there,” he told The Courier.

“The men’s teams’ coaches are all experienced in coaching. Each of them in their own right are or were great footy players for the club, so they know how we tick inside out.

“First grade are defending their title, and with a fit and firing reggies side to support them, both teams will be strong.

“There’s a hell of a lot of Blue Boar pride and passion in those four names, and they’ve got the coaching smarts to go with it, so I have no doubt they’ll have the joint buzzing.

“Peta and I are excited to coach together and have some good plans on the go.

“Guesty (the late Will Guest) got me involved during the finals this year to gauge my interest, and I really enjoyed it. On the bus home from the grand final I said to him I’d take it on.

“The girls were unlucky to lose that day, so we’ll try a few tweaks and hopefully 2023 sees us go one better.”

Packer’s return is quite a promising development for the Blue Boars after he had announced that he would be stepping down from the job following last season’s 25-8 win in the decider against Gunnedah Red Devils.

Packer initially did not believe that he would have the time required to take on the role again, however, after speaking with his fiancé Ellie, who he will marry next year, and Coffey, he decided to return to help the club defend the premiership.

Packer said that it was ultimately his “passion” that brought him back to the game and the club.

He told The Courier that he could not wait to get back into coaching the side and that he had high hopes for the entire club next year.

“I’m very excited,” Packer said.

“It’s not even footy season yet, but there’s a lot of buzz around with the boys that are going to come back and play, and the boys that didn’t play last year who are going to be coming back.

“The festival of rugby is coming up too.

“There’s just so much excitement and it’s only December.

“We really want to continue to build next year. We got two teams in the grand final this year and we won one, and now I can’t see why we can’t get three teams in there for two wins next year, at a minimum.

“We’ll have more players back next year, and with us defending the first grade title, that will create a buzz, so I can’t see why we can’t dominate.

“This year, we didn’t win the club championship, but we were definitely the best club in the zone. Next year I’d like our name to go on that shield.”

Packer was thrilled with the other coaching appointments and said that he saw himself working really well with the three second grade coaches.

“Todd, Dylan and Chase, I’m really excited to coach the boys alongside those guys,”he said.

“They have a wealth of experience between the three of them.

“They have a lot of knowledge about the forwards too, which is something I don’t have, so it’s going to make it a lot easier for me and for our forward pack to ensure that we get everything right.”

Packer currently has his sights set on the 2023 Santos Festival of Rugby at Dangar Park, at which both a Narrabri Rugby Club men’s and women’s side will be in action.

Not all players in the men’s squad will line up at the festival, but those who are will complete a four-week training program that will get underway midway through January.

Packer said those sessions would not be compulsory for all players, given the length of the CNRU season already, but added that anyone was welcome to come along and join in for a run.

The club’s official pre-season will get underway after the festival has wrapped up and the players who competed in it have enjoyed a well earned break.