After weeks of speculation, former NRL star and local product Glen Buttriss has confirmed his signing as captain-coach of the Cootamundra Bulldogs in 2018.
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Buttriss recently agreed to terms with club officials and could hardly contain his excitement at the prospect of returning home.
"It's more exciting for me than anyone else," he said.
"I'm like a little kid, I can't wait to get started and rip in with the boys."
Signing the Raiders 100-gamer is an incredible coup for a club that has struggled for consistency in recent years however Buttriss said the desire to run back out onto Fisher Park had never truly left him.
"I've always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to have a season back in Coota," he said.
"I never knew when the time was going to be right, but it's now.
"The club may not have had much success on the field over the last couple of years but from everything I've been told it's heading in the right direction.
There is a great core group of local players and some really good young players coming through and I'm excited to be able to help with their progression.
- Glen Buttriss
“There is a great core group of local players and some really good young players coming through and I'm excited to be able to help with their progression.
"As a kid ... all I ever wanted to do was play first grade for Coota and run out onto Fisher Park."
Sources revealed Buttriss was in town last weekend and meet one-on-one with a number of local players to outline his hopes and plans for the 2018 Group Nine season.
"All the boys were great to talk with, they're all keen after a tough year but I'll say it again, no one is more excited about next year than me."
Speaking with Fairfax Media on Wednesday, star playmaker Aaron Byrne said Buttriss’s signing was “massive” for the club.
“It’s awesome, just on so many levels,” he said.
“To have anyone who's played over 100 NRL games involved is massive but having a local guy who knows the community and connects with people is unbelievable.”
Byrne insisted the former hooker wasn’t there to take places and said all steps would be taken to protect and nurture the core group of dedicated players that had remained loyal over the 2016-17 seasons.
“We’ve spoken at length about looking after the players who’ve stuck through the tough times and Glen’s keen to work around players and slot in wherever he’s needed,” Byrne said.
”He’s the kind of bloke who really cares and makes time for everyone – you can’t put a price on that.”