Neyland has returned to Coolamon to take on his first coaching job, replacing long-serving coach Matt Hard.

Coolamon have been one of the few Riverina League clubs to land recruits so far this off-season with Neyland’s appointment being closely followed by the signing of Nick Pleming.

Neyland wants to improve on this season’s elimination final exit.

“Definitely finals again (is the goal). I want us to improve on where we finished last year,” Neyland said.

“We start from week one and improve each week.

“We’ll get fit before the start of the season then off and go and see what happens from there.”

Neyland, 29, spent the past couple of seasons at Ungarie and decided the time was right to have a crack at coaching.

“It came up in conversation one day and the idea grew on me,” Neyland said.

“They are a good, young, up and coming side who Matt Hard has had on the right track for x amount of years. It feels like a good role to step into after being led so well by Matt.”

Coolamon will begin official pre-season training in January and Neyland hopes they will add a couple more recruits before then.

“Hopefully they come off and we can add a couple more running sort of players,” he said.

Neyland played defence, forward and in the midfield in his last stint at Coolamon, and continued that trend at Ungarie.

He is unsure where he will slot himself into the Coolamon team, but likes having options.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said.

“The same goes with Nick (Pleming), who can play anywhere. We’ve got a lot of those versatile players that can play either end of the ground, or through the midfield.”