The Rock-Yerong Creek co-coaches Brad Aiken and Heath Russell happy to commit to 2023 despite ongoing restructure

TRYC became the first Farrer League club to lock in their coaching structure for 2023 last week when announcing the re-signing of Aiken and Russell.

The pair have agreed to lead the club for a third successive season but admit they did have a conversation about the restructure before re-signing.

Four of the nine Farrer League clubs have applied for entry into the new 'premier' Riverina League next season, with a change to the player points structure also to voted on by the AFL Riverina board next month.

Aiken admitted they weighed up the prospect of changes when making their decision.

"It did a little bit. Heath and I did chat about it," Aiken said.

"My thought process was that if the leagues change next year we'll coach, we'll honour it, we'll hopefully still sign the blokes we want to sign and all that sort of stuff. It didn't change the fact we'll still coach the same way, we'll still play the same way, we'll still have the same aspirations of still wanting to play finals and win a grand final and all that sort of stuff.

"It will be disappointing. And that may change our perspective on what we do the year after that but I said to Heath, I'm keen to coach again, whether they change the leagues or not."

Aiken, like a number of Farrer League coaches, is not a supporter of the proposed changes.

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"I personally don't think they will (make the changes) and if they do, I think they're going to kill footy, to be honest," he said.

"If they look at both leagues right now, the Farrer League is as strong as it's ever been and the RFL is, the top end to the bottom end is probably a little bit apart, but Narrandera showed (last) weekend with a few new recruits and the right coach in Brooker, I bet they're in the mix next year."

"We had the talk but that sort of stuff, you're either coaching because you love coaching and you want to make a difference, not because what they do with the leagues. I think it will be disappointing if they do."

Russell reiterated Aiken's position and said the pair are fully committed for 2023, despite what happens to the competitions.

"It definitely did come into our thoughts but at the moment we want to support the club, the boys and we're really enjoying it," Russell said.

"It will have future ramifications if the comps were completely re-changed but for now we're happy, whatever happens, we're willing to accept it and coach the team we've got in the comp we're in."

The Magpies are expected to be one of the few Farrer clubs to boast the same coaching set-up in 2023 with a number of incumbents set to move on.

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