TEMORA may be yet to appoint a coach but they have already welcomed back key personnel for next season.
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Premiership forward Matt Wallis has returned to Temora, with 2015 best and fairest winner Robbie Drummond also set to head back to Nixon Park.
In an added boost, injured key forward Matt Harpley will be ready for round one on the back of a couple of knee operations.
Wallis is no guarantee to play in 2017 due to a knee injury but has moved back to Temora and rejoined the Kangaroos.
Temora president Darryl Harpley explained the club are taking the approach that it will be a bonus if Wallis plays in 2017.
“He’s back in Temora working but he smashed his kneecap playing in Mildura in the middle of last season,” Harpley said.
“He’s still going through rehab and is hoping to get it right halfway through next year, but it’s still an unknown.
“We’re treating it as though we’ll be without him for the whole season but if he does get back playing it will be a bonus.”
After a year in Newcastle, Drummond is set to return to Temora, pending full-time employment.
Matt Harpley will also be a big inclusion after missing the 2016 season on the back of a knee reconstruction.
Harpley kicked 63 goals in 2014, and 46 in 2015 until he was injured late in the year.
With a few other possible returns on the cards, Temora’s focus for now is on finding a replacement for departed coach Christin Macri.
“Finalising a coach is the main thing. They don’t grow on trees,” Harpley said.
“We’ve got a number of potential coaches we’re talking to, ranging from Tasmania, Queenland and locally, we’re having a good look around. We don’t want to rush into it, we want to make sure we get the right one.”
Harpley said the club’s Canberra contingent are all interested in a return, as well as a couple of extras.
Temora are keen to improve on last year’s seventh-placed finish.