COLEAMBALLY assistant coach Simon Mackie has confirmed he will play with the Blues next season as the club looks to finalise its list for 2013.

Mackie joined the Farrer League club last year from Canberra to live with his girlfriend and has since taken up a new apprenticeship and settled himself in the town.

The key defender was Coleambally's best player in 2012, but was unable to lift the team off the bottom of the ladder. The Blues will be looking to push for a finals berth next year and their campaign will be buoyed by Mackie's presence in the squad.

"I'll definitely be playing," Mackie confirmed yesterday.

"It's not official ... I haven't signed anything but I didn't sign anything last year either.

"I'm looking forward to next season."

Coleambally won three games in 2012 but was forced to do it without the playing services of coach Andrew McGown, who battled a knee injury all year.

McGown has been travelling to Melbourne to fix the recurring injury and has said he is hopeful of playing next season.

Mackie said apart from the possible departure of Codey O'Malley, the Blues should field basically the same team next year.

"I haven't heard too much to be honest, a lot of guys have had harvest," he said. 

"We aren't really losing anyone that I know of."

The Coleambally rice mill's reopening was expected to be an employment drawcard for prospective players but Mackie is unsure whether the club will attract anyone with the mill.

"I think a lot of the workers there are already locals," he said.

"And because it's shift work it would be tough for them to train and get Saturdays off."

The Farrer League is going through a slumber at the moment as a number of clubs wait to hear back from prospective signings.

The Rock-Yerong Creek has been the big improver after snagging onballers Tim Matheson and Tom Yates, but the Magpies have gone quiet since those signings.

Coach Mick Mazzocchi said via Twitter "No news from me except that it will be 1 (sic) of the most even comps in years".

CSU and Northern Jets have both indicated they are close to signing some new players.