The chance to take the next step with his football has seen Warren Lloyd leave Kangaroos to be captain-coach of Cootamundra.
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Lloyd has spent three seasons with the Wagga club, but the opportunity to coach was the main attraction for the Englishman to making the switch to the Bulldogs.
He can't wait for the challenge.
“I am pretty excited by it,” Lloyd said.
“It is a good opportunity for me and the main reason why I took the job was the opportunity to coach.
“It is something I have always wanted to do and I thought if I didn’t do it now I wouldn’t get the chance to do it.
“It sorta fell in my lap and I had to take the challenge.”
Lloyd was part of Riverina’s country championship success in 2014 during the second of his three years with Kangaroos, and will travel across to Cootamundra.
(Coaching) is something I have always wanted to do and I thought if I didn’t do it now I wouldn’t get the chance to do it.
- Warren Lloyd
He has experience travelling to play football when at Group 20 club Leeton before making the switch to ‘Roos and doesn't believe it will be an issue.
The Bulldogs are still looking to rebuild after a massive player drain after the end of the 2015 season.
They finished ninth in 2016, with three wins, a draw and 12 losses but Lloyd believes there is plenty of talent coming through the ranks.
“The team has a fairly good young base and I am hoping I can try to lead them around and lift them about,” he said.
Cootamundra president Mark Kennedy is excited by the prospect of having Lloyd at the club.
Kennedy is leading a whole new committee, and believes Lloyd is the right man to replace Simon Vanzanten.
“I think he will bring some stability to the side,” Kennedy said.
“We are going through a culture change at the moment and trying to get the club back to a family situation and we thought Warren would fit that bill.”
With a coached locked in, the Bulldogs are now focusing on strengthening their forward pack.