Nick Ehsman will not only line up at the five eight or second row positions but will also coach the side who finished third in last year’s group 19 competition. 

Ehsman had returned to Glen Innes last year and told the Glen Innes Examiner he enjoyed his first season back in group 19.

“I was at Newtown for a year and at the Rooster’s in the under twenties competition, I came back from Sydney last year to play last season,” he said.

“It was an alright season we had a strong team but towards the end we got too many injuries and got low on the troops.”

“We finished 3rd, Inverell just had a bigger side and that’s really how they got over us.”

Ehsman said he is confident the men in black and white can be a force again this year with some solid juniors and reliable second graders being likely to be called upon to help fill the void of losing two key players in the experienced Sam key and powerful prop Mone Loketi.

 “We have lost Sam Key and big Mone Loketi has gone to Sydney for work but we are hoping we might get him still,” he said.

“Second grade made the grand final so they will have a few players who we will be looking towards to step up this season.”

“We will also have some good juniors in Tom Say who is back from Farrer and Jayden Ehsman and Brayden Gallagher who will all step up.”

The make up of next year’s group 19 competition is still yet to be determined at this stage with Goondiwindi pulling out, Warialda returning, Uralla moving to second grade in group 4 and the Guyra Superspuds looking to make a comeback to a competition they were once a major force in.

Ehsman said he is confident barring injury problems his side can feature in the finals again but noted reigning premiers the Moree Boomerangs will be favourites again in 2015.

“Boomerangs will be the team to beat again this season they are very well drilled and well coached now,” he said.

The player coach said he feels his time in Sydney playing against some of the country’s best footballing talent was enjoyable and has prepared him well for his new role in charge of his 

hometown side.

“I think I can bring a bit of the training and leadership side that has come from there, I was part of the leadership group at the roosters and it helped a lot just in terms of speaking with players and that type of stuff,” he said.

“It was good playing against all the up and coming NRL players and some of the older recent NRL players.”

Ehsman said he is looking forward to a successful season in 2015.

“We will have a good side again hopefully we won’t get too many injuries this season and we can do well,” he said.

The club is recruiting again now and hopes to traine twice weekly early in the new year and is hosting a sign on day and barbecue on Saturday at their Mead Park homeground which is open to all players from both men’s and womens league tag and people interested in playing are encouraged to come along. The sign on day and barbecue will start at 11.30am.

The club also held their annual general meeting  recently and a number of key positions were filled including; president  Pat Lonergan, vice presidents  Matt Crowhurst and Andrew Say, secretary - Ben Lonergan, treasurer - Amelia Tunamena. Coaches; A grade - Nick Ehsman, reserve grade - Cameron Holliss, Juniors - Nick Say and Ben Lonergan.