Coaching changes in Peter McDonald Premiership could have big impact

With only 12 teams to contest the second season of the PMP, after the Cowra Magpies pulled the pin for a top grade side in 2023, things will look a little different on the field.

The same can be said for the coaching staffs, with more than half the league experiencing a leadership turnover between 2022 and 2023.

So to start things off, lets take a look at what has changed.

Following the retirement of Daniel Mortimer, the green and golds were in need of a new name to step up and lead CYMS into the future. That man came in the form of Ethan Mckellar.

Having joined the club from cross-town rival Orange Hawks for the 2022 campaign, Mckellar proved an instant hit amongst the team. As a result of the hard-running prop's form throughout the year, he was named the club's player's player, an honour he shared with centre Marcel Ikinofo.

A former premiership-winning NRL player's shoes are hard to fill, but the club will be hoping for a seamless transition.

What better way to enter retirement than going out a premiership winner?

Well, that's exactly how Cameron Greenhalgh made his departure from the Forbes Magpies, although it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

The outgoing coach's son - who also happens to be the Western Rams half-back, has taken on the role alongside fullback Mitch Andrews.

With "about 85 per cent" of the squad returning to defend their title, it will be interesting to see if having coaches on the field rather than the side-line will impact Forbes at all.

Having finished 2022 with just two wins to their name, the Tigers were in desperate need of a game-changer and they may just have found their answer.

James Tuitahi spent the bulk of his career on the fringes of NRL selection and recently made the move to Nyngan from Sydney with his partner and two young children after agreeing to take on his first coaching role.

The 30-year-old isn't settling for second best either, stating that his goal for the season was to "win the comp."

Clay Priest is one of the best props running around in country rugby league, and now he will have even more influence on the Mudgee Dragons.

Priest arrived at the Dragons in 2020 after 31 games with the Canberra Raiders in 2016-17 before wrapping up his professional career with an eight-game stint for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2018.

The appointment by Mudgee means they'll continue to have a player with NRL experience at the helm with Priest replacing Jack Littlejohn.

Mudgee finished the 2022 season in first for the Group 10 pool of the Peter McDonald Premiership before suffering a 34-4 defeat to Dubbo CYMS in the preliminary final.

With the departure of last year's coach Greg Alderson mid-way through the season, Workies didn't have a choice in replacing their man in charge. And what better way to do so than appoint not one, but two replacements.

Jack Sullivan and Kyle Willmott will co-coach Workies in 2023.

Sullivan came to Lithgow in 2019 with a considerable reputation as a former Shute Shield player with West Harbour and Warringah while making rugby sevens appearances with NSW.

The Willmott name is one synonymous with rugby league in the Lithgow area with Corey previously coaching the Wolves and Kyle himself coaching Portland in the Mid-West Cup.

The pair took on the role of interim-coaches in 2022 and now can add the official title to their CVs.

Following the shock retirement of captain-coach Jack Creith and departure of long-serving first-graders Sam Dwyer and Jordan Pope, there was some uncertainty around who would lead the Spacemen into the new Peter McDonald Premiership campaign.

But halfback and representative star Chad Porter has stepped up to take on the captain-coach's role.

Porter is a Spacemen through and through, having helped guide the side to a Group 11 first grade premiership as a teenager in 2013 alongside the likes of club greats Pat Rosser and Dennis Moran.

After a stint in Sydney - where he spent time with the South Sydney Rabbitohs under 20s - he returned home for the 2017 season and has developed into one of the most consistent playmakers in the western area in the time since.

Could there be a bit of controversy brewing at Raiders HQ? According to Jarryd Meredith, the appointment of Jack Kavanagh as co-coach was in no way a slight on 2022 captain-coach Alex Ronayne, who will also take on co-coaching duties in 2023.

Kavanagh, a former junior with the club, spent the 2021 season playing under Ronayne at Macquarie before spending time playing in both Queensland and on the south coast in 2022. Kavanagh also boasts NSW Country representative honours.

Now, let's take a look at which clubs where the status quo has remained constant.

After narrowly missing out on a finals berth in the Peter McDonald Premiership's inaugural season, Shane Rodney is back in the Orange Hawks' coaching hot seat, and with a talented list of juniors, the two-time NRL premiership winner is 'optimistic' about the season ahead.

Having originally signed a one-year contract in 2021, Rodney was more than happy to continue in the role after one-point separated his side from the top four of the Group 10 pool.

The former Penrith Panthers and Manly Sea Eagles backrower originally took over at the club from from Willie Heta after his four year stint.

Zac Merritt is a well-known quantity around the region, having re-joined St Pat's in the 2018 season, before taking over coaching duties in 2020.

Merritt has premiership-winning experience on his side having guided the Forbes Magpies to the 2016 Group 11 title. Merritt left St Pat's at the conclusion of the 2013 season and over his four year stint at the Magpies, developed his leadership skills.

Jake Betts took over the coaching ranks from Doug Hewitt in 2022 for the inaugural Peter McDonald Premiership and is back against for a second season.

Betts is no stranger to the club, having spent a majority of his life wearing a Panthers jersey and having first played for the club as a 10-year-old.

After suffering heartbreak in the 2022 grand final, Shawn Townsend will be looking to go one step better in 2023, after agreeing to come back at Dubbo CYMS head coach.

Townsend has coached the Fishies for the past two seasons. Prior to his appointment as first grade coach, Townsend hadn't coached a senior side in 12 years.

He does however have a long history with CYMS and previously coached the club's first grade side to a Group 11 title in 2009 alongside Justin Yeo but his involvement with the senior ranks had been minimal up until 2021.

He had been a leading junior coach with St John's and various representative teams and had been heavily involved in programs like the Penrith Panthers' partnership with the Western Rams.

Was there ever any doubt that the reigning Group 11 player of the year would once again be lining up as a Cowboy? Probably not, but it was still big news when Justin Toomey-White signed back on as Wellington's coach for 2023.

Having won the G11 player of the year award a record five times now, Toomey-White was part of the Cowboys' drought-breaking premiership winning team in 2019.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: