Recruitment has been quiet at the Two Blues but Browning has brought a running coach on board, and online.

Based in Wollongong, the coach has prepared a program which players are following remotely.

“Because we’ve got some players in Canberra, Leeton, Barellan, Griffith, instead of getting everyone together, it’s easier to do it all online and meet up in our different towns,” Browning said. 

When he was appointed, Browning was confident there is room for improvement within the group. He said his early appointment by the club, before last season finished, should help.

“In the past, sometimes we haven’t had a coach until December or January,” he said.

“We’ve got a bit more structure and I think that’ll make a difference… Our age group of players are from 18 to 30 so there’s plenty there. It’s just a matter of how much work we can put into our development.

“I’d rather put that work in and catch up to the competition there, rather than having heaps of blow-ins and blow-outs every year.”

Browning said they’ll learn pretty quickly next season how they’re placed with a reasonably tough start to 2019.

After a road trip to North Wagga in round one, the Two Blues tackle finalists Charles Sturt University, local rivals the Northern Jets, perennial contenders East Wagga-Kooringal and likely improvers Coleambally in the first five weeks. 

“Ideally we’d like to snag a couple of scalps this year, which we didn’t do last season,” Browning said.

“It’d be nice to knock off a couple of favourites, just to shake things up. Early wins is the key, it just helps with morale and in case you drop off during the year.

“And injury prevention is key too which is why we’re putting in plenty of work.”

Browning is hoping their depth will be improved with players like Casey Moore and Kabe Stockton aiming to overcome injury worries of recent years and commit to a season of senior footy.

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