The Armidale Rams’ 2018 season was the most successful the club had experienced in recent years.
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The Rams are already preparing for a bigger and better 2019 with the recent announcement of their new coaches across the three senior grades.
Luke Kirkby will step up to the top job for A grade after lending a hand this year as an assistant coach and senior player.
He takes over from Steve Ware, who Kirkby said laid a good platform for him to build on.
“He [Ware] was on the right track there and unfortunately players just didn't want to commit,” he said.
“I am not going to change too much, the boys already know what they need to do.”
Kirkby grew up playing rugby league in the sport’s heartland of Western Sydney before moving to the Central Coast in 2012.
With his background in the sport, combined with passion for the game, Kirkby believes he can help lift the Rams even higher in 2019.
He also feels he can relate to the younger players coming through the ranks.
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“I guess this is just a new thing for me, a new challenge and I am excited for it,” he said.
“I feel like I have got a lot of information that I want to get out there and help players develop the way I developed and pass that knowledge on to the young fellas.
“I just want people to come and play rugby league, whether it be for Narwan or Armidale Rams.
“It would be good to have rugby league teams in Armidale that are competitive.
“We want players playing rugby league because they love the game.”
But he wants the squad to take rugby league more seriously next season with the commitment among the playing group falling short at times.
“I will probably have to make a couple of statements there with a couple of the players but I am hoping they all jump on board, come together and head in the right direction,” Kirkby said.
“That starts at training, all turn up together and working hard for one another.”
While he laced up the boots this season for the Rams, Kirkby insists his playing days are over.
Instead, he wants to give the coaching role a red hot crack and will be doing it from the sidelines.
“I said from the start that they need a head coach,” he said.
“I think there are quite a few good, young leaders there and I want to put the team in their hands and have them control everything.
“I don't want them to think that ‘the coach is on the field and they have to do what he says.’”
“A lot of the players are very gifted athletes and if I can put the team in their hands and let them do what they do best then I think they can be competitive.”
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Kirkby is eager to start as soon as possible and hopes the club can attract more players to sign up for 2019.
“I am doing my best to get some players on board and I think it is going really well,” he said.
“I am going to do a bit of training in November and just get a couple of boys together and we will hit the ground running in January.
“I am really looking forward to it.”
- Keep an eye out for previews with the new league tag coach Jess Smith and under 18s mentor Ryan Dawson in coming weeks
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