Jamie Bennett returns for a second season as Coleambally coach

The Blues completed the Farrer League coaching puzzle last month with the re-signing of Bennett as a non-playing coach.

He took over in November last year on the back of some big departures and managed to guide Coleambally off the bottom of the ladder this year on the back of two wins.

Bennett had encouraged Coleambally from early in the piece to pursue other options but the club was more than happy to lock him in for a second season.

"I didn't have to think about it too much," Bennett said.

"I was never going to roadblock an opportunity for them, if there was a player-coach on the market, I wasn't going to stand in the way of that.

"My goal is just to make them better in the end."

Bennett certainly did that in 2023. He got more with less but is keen to add to the club's list this off-season.

"There's a few irons in the fire," Bennett said.

"We haven't nailed down a lot yet. It would be nice to lock a few things away.

"The killer for us was obviously the lack of depth. Everytime we had an injury it was like a lotto.

"We had Jake Breed, Chris Hayes, Lachie Evans all go down. I had a good 15 and once you start losing players, then you're just plugging gaps and the holes keep springing. If we can add a little bit of depth we'll be right."

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Even if recruitment doesn't work out, Bennett is confident there is enough natural improvement in Coleambally to continue their climb up the ladder.

"We'll have some natural growth because we were so young. I had 14 21-year-old boys and under in that best 18," he said.

"So just by natural maturity, we'll be better.

"It would be nice to have a few more cattle. Obviously I went into it with eyes wide open, thinking that this could be a train wreck but you throw it in front of them and you give them the carrot and you give them something to work towards and a system and they brought in real quick.

"During the course of the year they lost their way a few times and that lack of maturity and physical presence in our side really caught us out but the boys will grow up a little bit more.

"At the end of the day if the club is in a better space and they've got a core of first grade guys who are equipped to put the club in a good position for the next five years then I'll be really happy regardless of where he finish because it's a tough environment for small community clubs."

Unfortunately Coleambally's quest for improvement is likely to be without this year's Tiwi Islands contingent in Stanley Tipiloura, John Tipiloura, Mark White and Dray Thompson.

The recruitment of the quartet was a success with Stanley Tipiloura particularly impressing the competition regularly and was rewarded with selection in the Farrer League Team of the Year.

"I can't imagine the Darwin boys come back," Bennett conceded.

"They enjoyed it, they stayed until the end, credit to them, and credit to the club for being able to produce an environment to make it work.

"We need to replace them. Particularly Stanley, Stanley gave us a bit of X-factor and some scoring power. We really need to replace him. Then if we can add a little bit of depth we'll be ok, we'll be alright."

Club 2023 coach 2024 coach

The Rock-Yerong Creek: Brad Aiken and Heath Russell Brad Aiken and Heath Russell

Northern Jets: Jack Harper Jack Harper

Marrar: Cal Gardner Cal Gardner

Charles Sturt University: Travis Cohalan and Dusty Rogers Travis Cohalan and Trent Cohalan

East Wagga-Kooringal: Matt Hard Jake Barrett

Barellan: Alex Lawder Peter Green

Temora: Jimmy Kennedy Jimmy Kennedy

Coleambally: Jamie Bennett Jamie Bennett

North Wagga: Damien Papworth Damien Papworth

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