Tim Ryan has more on his plate this season but the long-serving CYMS coach is adamant nothing has changed in the build-up to the 2018 Group 11 season.
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Ryan is now the Western Rams under 23s coach as well as the leader at CYMS, where he is starting his sixth year at the helm.
“I’ve been a bit busy but I’ve been able to juggle it and they’re completing different so we’re ready to go,” he said.
The Fishies start their season at home on Sunday, welcoming a much-changed Narromine Jets to Apex Oval.
While there’s been a huge amount of change across the clubs during the off-season, CYMS again starts the year as competition favourites.
Ryan expects plenty of competition this year, starting on Sunday, despite having beaten the Jets convincingly in a trial game.
“We both had 20-odd players we wanted to give a run that day so you can’t take too much,” he said.
“They’ll be settled with their strongest side now.”
That can’t be said for the Fishies.
The new-look side will be without Ben Marlin, nursing a long-term knee injury, while Wade Kavanagh is serving a suspension stemming from last season’s grand final.
But there is still plenty of firepower with the likes of Billy Sing, Jesse Wighton, John Grey, Corey Cox, Corey Drew, Nick Harvey and Byron Warren new faces in the side from last year.
Sing is back after a year in rugby while Grey has returned from retirement after just one year.
“It’s always good to have some fresh faces in the side but we’ve got the same core group,” Ryan said.
That core group has been there and done it before with the likes of Alex Bonham, Luke Jenkins, Jarryn Powyer, Jyie Chapman and Lincoln Kavanagh all among the elite players in the competition.
But despite all those players having enjoyed so much success, the coach is adamant none of that matters now.
Despite winning the grand final just seven months ago, that’s ancient history for Ryan.
“We look at it as a new year and we’re starting again. We’ll treat every side the same and a few of them have got some new players so it’s going to be exciting,” he said.
“I’ve said for numerous years now, last season is forgotten and this is a new group.”
Lower grades start 11am at Apex Oval on Sunday.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
