Ware has played alongside and for some of the sport’s best including Parramatta’s Brad Arthur and Melbourne Storm assistant coach Adam O’Brien.

He played in the State League competition, now known as the Intrust Super Cup, for Brothers-Valleys and Wests Panthers before moving to North Queensland to link up with Cairns Brothers, Ivanhoes and Yarrabah.

“I coached Ivanhoes, that was my first assistant A grade coaching gig and then Cairns Brothers, took them to a reserve grade grand final as captain-coach,” Ware said. 

“Over in Yarrabah, where I coached A grade, we came seventh in 2016 and then they went on and won the comp last year so I laid a platform for them really and then got them used to the structures of A grade football.”

Ware intends to bring those structures he implemented in his previous coaching tenures to a very young Armidale Rams side who went through last season winless. 

One key area Ware will seek to hone in on is the side’s defence. 

The Rams leaked 1210 points last season which was nearly double the second worst defensive side’s record – Tingha Tigers with 619 – and Ware isn’t afraid of putting the Rams through their paces to improve that figure this year. 

“Getting them used to the defence, attack will come pretty freely in bush footy,” he said. 

“That's my main concern, getting them used to defending and tackling, just the hard stuff, stuff players don't really like but you have to get used to it.”

Steve is the older brother of current Rams captain, Mike, and said he might call on him to help in understanding the local league. 

“I have never been down in NSW and I have never coached down here so getting used to the players and them getting to know me and me getting to know them is probably first and foremost,” he said. 

“I am up for the challenge, my younger brother is here so maybe he can help me out.”

Ware believes a successful team is made up of a mix of senior and rookie players. 

“I know it is a rebuilding phase for Armidale but probably trying to figure out some of the senior players and getting a leadership group out of them and then bringing younger players up, even attracting players would be good,” he said.