Premiership-winning duo at the helm of Narrabri Blues Boars’ men’s teams for 2026

Narrabri Rugby Club’s men’s teams are in safe hands for the 2026 Central North Rugby Union campaign, with Mick Coffey and Craig Gleeson locked in to coach this year.

Gleeson takes the reins of the first grade team for a third straight year following back-to-back finals appearances and a premiership in 2024, in what was his debut season.

He will be assisted by former club captain and premiership-winning player Morgan Jones in 2026.

Coffey is also a premiership-winning coach at the Blue Boars, having helped guide both the women’s and under-14s teams to grand final glory in the past, and this year he will aim to add another trophy to the club’s cabinet after taking over as the reserve grade coach. He replaces Nathan Nott, who has decided not to coach the side after two years in the role but will continue to play in 2026.

Narrabri Rugby Club’s president Daniel Kahl told The Courier that he and the committee were thrilled with the appointments of three great clubmen to the coaching roles.

“We’re really happy to have Glees, Morgs and Coff in those roles,” Kahl said.

“Glees is coming into his third year. He has had plenty of success in his first two, and he’s looking to build on that.

“Morgs has been a sounding board for Glees at times over the past two seasons when he hasn’t been playing due to injury, so I’m sure he’ll have a great influence.

“Coff has a lot of coaching experience. He was involved in reserve grade last year as manager and assistant coach to Notty, and he is looking forward to coaching senior men’s for the first time after having success with our women and at junior club and rep levels.”

The Blue Boars are still in the process of finding a women’s coach after Andrew Gale vacated the role following an undefeated minor and major premiership-winning campaign in 2025.

Gleeson told The Courier that he was eager to coach the Blue Boars again in 2026 as he and the playing group felt there was unfinished business following a fourth-place finish and elimination semi-final loss last year.

“I really felt like last year didn’t reflect what me and the playing group were trying to achieve and were capable of achieving. To finish on that note, with where we ended up in the competition, I just really didn’t want to go out that way,” the 2024 premiership-winning coach said.

“I’ve talked to a few of the boys and seen how keen they’ve been. That desire that you have to have is really there.

“That’s probably one area I lacked attention to last year; how you get people up the season after you have success.

“That’s already back this year, and the boys all know there’s only so much time you have in a premiership window. Narrabri is definitely in the middle of one now, and you have to take advantage of those when you can.

“A lot of the boys have already been putting in a lot of hard work to prepare for pre-season, and everyone is looking forward to the new format that the new draw offers.

“Last year’s draw was ridiculous for everyone, but we had a few extra rough trots there where we had extended periods off and it was hard to keep people focused.

“This year’s draw gives us 15 games of footy and only two weeks off in that whole period, so that’s what a season of footy should look like.

“We’ve got Moree first up. Two years ago when we won it, Moree away was our first game. It’s good to replicate that for the superstition, and it’s always good to go up there early to get a gauge of where you’re at. Obviously they will be at the top end of the competition again.

“It’s almost like a second home ground for us up there, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Gleeson added that he was thrilled to have Jones as his assistant and Coffey as the reserve grade coach in 2026.

“Morgan is a great bloke who fits in well with everyone. He is a really great football mind and everyone responds well to him,” Gleeson said.

“He will offer us a lot. He has played a very high level of footy up in Brisbane, so for us to have the skills and knowledge he has around our backline will be really good.

“I’m really happy to have him on board. He’s hung up the boots now, but I’m really happy he’s still with us.

“Coff, as everyone knows, would do anything for the rugby club. He’s proven that for many years now.

“Quite a few of the reserve grade playing group approached him about coaching, and he came to me and we talked about it. We had a really good conversation about it.

“I think he’ll do a really good job, to be honest. He is very organised and he’s very considered when it comes to decision making, and those are a few of the top skills you need when coaching in reserve grade.

“He will keep those blokes motivated and make sure they are ready to go and turning up to training.

“He’s going to be really good for the club in that reserve grade space.”

Gleeson added that while the loss of players such as Sam Spanton, Mikey O’Brien and Jones would be a loss for the club, the additions of Tom and Hamish Nolan, Jydon Hill, Joe Maunder and Jed Brennan, who will all make their full-time returns in 2026, would boost the Blue Boars.

For Coffey, coaching the reserve grade side is an exciting opportunity,

“I’m probably as excited as I’ve been coming into a new season, to be honest,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to it.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm and momentum to take in from last year. Notty has gotten this team to such a good place the last two years, and a lot of people wanted to maintain the rage when he wasn’t going around again. They didn’t want the ball to be dropped, and after I was heavily involved last year, they asked if I could keep going.

“It’s always good to go into a role knowing you’re fully supported.

“We don’t have to set the bar much higher than what it was last year, but I think we can raise it a little bit.

“We lost the minor semi-final, then I watched the major, the preliminary and the grand final. We weren’t that far off, to be honest. We were good enough, but we just weren’t smart enough at times.

“If we’re a bit smarter this year, and now with the new draw giving us more consistent footy, we’re a good chance of going further this year.”

Pre-season is less than three weeks away for the Blue Boars, and Kahl said he was confident that Gleeson, Jones and Coffey would have the players ready to fire in what is expected to be an exciting CNRU campaign in 2026.

“Those guys have put together a plan for our pre-season. We’ll have a get-together early next month (on Thursday, February 5), which is for anyone interested in playing or being involved with the club this season, and then we’ll get into Tuesday and Thursday training the following week (from February 10),” Kahl said.

“We have some pretty exciting trial matches lined up and a new draw too, which is exciting because there are 15 rounds and we get to play everyone three times each.

“We get eight home games this year, which will actually be 10 games at home, including the two trial matches in March.”

Those trial games at Dangar Park will see the Blue Boars host Central Coast club Avoca Beach on Friday, March 20, followed by the annual Hannaford-Southwell Shield contest against St Albert’s College, Armidale, on Saturday, March 28.

The 2026 season will then kick off on Saturday, April 11, with an away game against the Moree Bulls at Weebolla Oval scheduled first up for the Blue Boars.