RUGBY LEAGUE
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DUBBO Macquarie has gone back to the future with its coaching appointments for the 2015 Group 11 season, with a club stalwart in charge of juniors and one of his former proteges returning to coach the club's top grade.
Guy Meredith will return to Dubbo to lead the club's first grade campaign after spending the past few years with the Maryborough Wallaroos in Queensland.
His career has also seen him spend time in Sydney and on the north coast of NSW, but a desire to be closer to family was key to him taking up the position.
"Guy started with Macquarie as a junior and has always had a desire to return to the club and help out," Meredith's brother and Macquarie president Mark Meredith said.
"He's been away and played football, coached football and built a business but the time was right for him to come home.
"He indicated he would be keen to be involved and his record speaks for itself so we're excited to have him back."
Meredith was part of Macquarie's 1987 premiership-winning juniors side that was coached by Jim Kelly, the club stalwart who would have that role again in 2015.
Kelly has been heavily involved with the club for a number of years, with his most recent success being helping the Raiders' first grade side to a premiership in 2008.
Injured first grade utility Adam McDermott will round out the coaching team after taking up the reins of the reserve grade squad.
"We think we've got a very strong group of coaches for next season," Meredith said.
"Jim has a great record in coaching and Adam is a young guy who will be able to bounce off both Jim and Guy and hone his skills with reserve grade.
"Adam had a knee reconstruction towards the end of last season so his role would enable him to keep working on his rehab as well as help those players coming out of under-18s as they transition to senior football and hopefully provide a bridge for them to move into first grade at some stage."
Macquarie has been holding group touch football and fitness sessions for a number of weeks now, however their preparations for next season will ramp up early in the new year.
"The touch footy stuff has really been just to help with fitness and act as a bit of a 'meet and greet' for the players," Meredith said.
"It's been non-compulsory stuff but we've aimed it as a family thing with players from all grades and their families involved just to keep that club atmosphere ticking along.
"Our official starting will commence on January 13 and it looks like Guy will be arriving in Dubbo in late January to start working with the playing group."