GROUP NINE
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TUMBARUMBA has begun building for its 2013 Group Nine premiership assault by naming Simon Vanzanten as coach.
The Greens yesterday announced Vanzanten will lead the club next season after 2012 coach Timoci Vatubuli stepped down from the role.
Vatubuli will remain at Tumbarumba and take up the position of coaching coordinator.
Vanzanten yesterday said he was thrilled to accept the job, but admitted he had never thought of a career in coaching before moving to Tumbarumba from Junee last year.
"Not initially, no," he said.
"I had a bit to do with (Vatubuli) last season, helping him out with coaching the boys.
"We sort of sat down halfway through the season and talked about what I wanted to do next year.
"It's all pretty exciting."
With its coach in place, Tumbarumba will now turn its attention to making a serious push for Group Nine finals next season.
The Greens finished bottom of the competition again this year, winning one game and drawing one to claim the wooden spoon behind Tumut and Temora.
Vanzanten says he saw encouraging signs during the year and is confident of moving up the ladder in 2013.
"Last year I think we had eight games that we lost by less than 10 points," he said.
"Our goal for next year is to turn those games into wins and really push for a spot in the top five. At the moment we are focusing on keeping most of the guys from this season and a lot of them have re-signed which is great."
The halves combination of Kane Hammond and Joss Cleal have agreed to stick around for next season, as well as forwards Nathan Hammond and Steve Arnold.
The club will again boast four Fijian imports, while Vanzanten hopes to talk local league talent Josh Brennan out of retirement.
The only question mark hangs over star centre Robbie Byatt, who has already indicated he could move to Canberra during the off-season.
Vanzanten says the club will today meet with a former Melbourne Storm Jersey Flegg centre who he says will take Byatt's spot should he decide to leave.