The Bushpigs are confident Noonan is the man to take the club to the next level after spending the past four seasons with Greater Western Sydney’s academy.

Daniel Athanitis lifted CSU off the bottom of the Farrer League ladder in his two seasons at Peter Hastie Oval and Noonan will take over on the back of the Bushpigs’ enjoying six wins in 2017.

Noonan, 29, is looking forward to his first senior coaching role.

“I”m very keen. Something different for me, I suppose. I’ve never coached a first grade team before so it’s a new challenge and I’m very excited to start,” Noonan said.

Noonan was most recently the under 18 Wagga academy coach for GWS and worked as an assistant under Jason Saddington.

It was while doing work with the academy that he developed a desire to become a senior coach.

“I’ve probably wanted to do it, from my second year in Giants when I started coaching the under 16 boys,” he said.

“I thought it would be really good to start implementing some of this stuff back at our clubs in Wagga. It’s definitely something that’s been on my radar for the last two or three years.”

New CSU president Harry Unthank said Noonan was the perfect man for the job.

“We were really happy about it. Pat’s the sort of guy we were after, still a young fella himself and had a bit of coaching experience with GWS,” Unthank said.

CSU have retained ‘90 to 95 per cent’ of their playing group as they look to return to Farrer League finals for the first time since 2011.

Unthank believes Noonan will bring plenty to the coaching position.

“Hopefully a bit of enthusiasm, some professionalism, he’s a good talker, and just experience working with young fellas,” he said.

Noonan does not want to talk finals just yet but is happy with the progress the club has made under Athanitis.

“Obviously Daniel had a really good year with the boys, a very successful one with the amount of wins they got,” Noonan said.

“I think my goal going into next year is to get that six (wins) again, or maybe seven and then think about what’s after that. 

“Don’t directly think about finals yet, make small goals achievable and go from there, I think that’s the best way to go.”

Noonan is a Wagga Tigers juniors and won under 18 and reserve grade premierships at the club. He most recently spent time at Collingullie-Glenfield Park but will be a non-playing coach at CSU.

CSU have also extended their deal with major sponsor, the William Farrer Hotel.