For three seasons, Cootamundra coach Luke Dickinson has nurtured the squad, leading them to the Pascoe Plate grand final in 2014.

Now, on the eve of the prestigious Pascoe Cup grand final, on Sunday, he knows it’s time to retire.

“It’s time for a change,” he said

“If you stay too long, you run the same drills week in, week out, it gets stale.”

A hard statement to understand, considering the club’s immense success in 2016.

“It’s the right way forward for the club," he said.

“If someone comes in and takes a similar approach, they have a great base of players to work with.”

Dickinson knows the Strikers are the underdogs as they face minor premiers Lake Albert Sharks on Sunday at 5.40pm.

That has only fuelled his enthusiasm to win.

“It’s a grand final, anyone can win,” he said.

“The two best teams have got there, it will come down to whoever takes their chances. The major semi-final showed they weren’t that dominant. They had a penalty off a handball in the box, and a late goal.”

Muddy conditions could play to the Strikers’ favour.

“After 200mm of rain, it’s gonna be an interesting game,” he said.

“After five games of rugby league, another six games on Saturday, and four on Sunday, the field could be an absolute quagmire.”

Luck hasn’t always been on his side.

A decade ago, he signed up, played three Strikers’ games and broke his leg.

It took him another five years to pluck up the courage to play again.

He’s proud of how far they’ve come since he took up coaching.

“Three years ago we used to get beaten quite convincingly,” he said.

“Now we’re competitive every time we go out on the paddock, and we will be for next five or six years.”

Dickinson may not have a crystal ball, but he does have local knowledge.

“We have a core group of players, all around 21, who have been there through bad times and good,” he said.

“They live local, work local. Each year we’ve had someone float into town with exceptional quality.”

Former semi-professional Englishman Gareth Jones helped in 2014, Wagga City Wanderers’ defender Dylan Berkrey played in 2015 and Brent Farnsworth and Rowan Davidson have been welcomed additions this season.

As for 2017? There’s no keeping Dickinson away.

“I haven’t worked out what I’m going to do,” he said.

“I’m not disappearing. There’s a possibility I’ll play reserves.”