New coach Roy Jewitt is hoping Boro Navari can deliver the strike power the Cherrypickers need out wide in 2019.

The Fijian centre has made a good first impression of the new coach.

“He’s big, fast, very strong and very skillful,” Jewitt said.

“He’s got footwork and looks like a very exciting prospect.”

Jewitt is looking for that to translate into plenty of points in Group Nine.

Navari has had experience in the Queensland Cup plus played with Bombala in Group 16.

The coach hopes he’ll be a good fit in his first season at the helm.

While Young have been blessed with a strong forward pack in recent seasons, the back line hasn’t always had the power to compete with the likes of Southcity and Gundagai.

However Jewitt is looking to change that as the ‘Pickers try to launch back up the ladder after a horror 2018.

“You need a real good finisher and a try scorer,” he said.

“Hopefully that is what Boro will give us.”

Jewitt expects the Fijian will be a real boost to their existing outside backs.

Kye Tiedemann impressed after getting his chance in the top grade in 2018 while Thomas Jenkins is another promising junior who is looking to cement his place in the side despite being eligible for the new under 19s competition for the next two years.

“Looking at what they had this year we didn’t need a lot, but a good centre is one thing that we did need,” Jewitt said.

“It’s exciting and when I’ve coach seniors we’ve also had Fijians.

“They’re exciting, people come to watch them and you don’t know what you are going to get from them, which is a good thing.”

Young has already welcomed back forwards Haydn Cowled and Jayke Hogan but there are doubts over the future of former captain-coach James Woolford.

He isn’t expected to play with the club in 2019.

Navari arrived in Young on Monday and was quick to get a taste for his new surrounds by heading down to training and the Cherrypickers hope to have another new face join him.

Young were the first club to get into pre-season training and Jewitt has been pleased with the response.

“We had 28 last week and 23 seniors which is good for this time of year,” he said.

They’ll have one more training run on Saturday before having a break for the holiday period.

“It will be all systems go in January then and we know we’re on the front foot and ready to kick on,” Jewitt said.

“It’s exciting times.”

Young have been working on bringing the Fijian to the club for some time and were thrilled the hard work of Darren and Sharon Corcoran during the immigration process had paid off.

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