DUBBO Macquarie have turned to a man who has been there and done it before as they look to bounce back from a disastrous 2015 Group 11 season.
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Steve McLellan was announced as the first grade coach recently and will be tasked with helping the Raiders climb the ladder after finishing last season in a disappointing seventh place.
McLellan assisted Jim Kelly in coaching Macquarie to the 2008 premiership and after helping Kelly again with the under-18s last season he has stepped up to the senior side.
Macquarie president Mark Meredith has made no secret of the fact he looked far and wide for a coach, a captain-coach in particular, but said everyone is now excited to work with a man who has a long association with the club.
"After throwing the net out far and wide we came back to Steve and he was always keen and passionate about doing it which is positive for the club," he said.
"Moses Manu, we talked to him but he said he wants to continue playing down in Sydney for at least another 12 months and we respect that but now it's good to be settled and we'll have Adam McDermott with the reserves and Hale Gordon will coach the under-18s."
McLellan had another taste of first grade coaching in recent years when he took over as interim coach in 2014 following the much-publicised John Grey mid-season transfer to CYMS.
He led the Raiders to the finals that season before bowing out in the second week but Meredith said the chance is now there for McLellan to make the side his own.
"He's got some unfinished business, he was there in 2014 when we went out at Parkes through a heap of injuries so he's really keen to improve on that and I think this is his last opportunity to give something back to the club," he said.
Meredith admitted his feeling was McLellan will retire to Fiji after this season, a place where he has plenty of family and connections with.
If it is only a one-season job then the task is a simple one, return the Raiders to finals footy.
2015 was a horror season for the Raiders with off-field issues, highlighted by Jeremy Smith's career-threatening injury, and onfield injuries hampering any chance of success under coach Guy Meredith.
"I think there's only one way for Macquarie next year and that's back up towards the top and where we're used to being," Meredith said.
"Not for the want of trying from Guy, but there was the unfortunate injury to 'Squeak' (Smith) and there was fallout from that and then we had injury after injury and it couldn't have been a worse year and I did feel sorry for Guy."
Steps have already been made in ensuring 2016 is a better one with the club signing Damien Wells and Michael Peachey.
Meredith is particularly excited about the signing of Wells with the half a former exciting junior in the Newcastle region before going on to forge a successful career in rugby in more recent seasons.
McLellan has also announced Macquarie's official pre-season training will begin on January 14.