Blayney Bears won't be trying to reinvent the wheel for their inaugural Woodbridge Cup campaign according to incoming coach Clayton Farr.
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Farr, a former Bears junior and Group 10 first grade player, is a familiar face around the club but will take charge of his maiden first grade side in 2024.
In fact, the Bears runner fielded a call from 2023 co-coach Alex Pettit asking if he would take over the top job from himself and Jesse Nixon.
He answered in the affirmative, on the proviso the duo stuck around in a playing capacity instead of hanging their boots up.
"I was asked by a couple of the young fellas who are deciding to stick around for one more year and I said I'd do it," he said.
"I ran water for them last year and I got a call from Alex Pettit to see if I was keen. I have a young fella who plays and one who runs water so I'm there every week and thought why not."
Blayney join Cowra Magpies as Woodbridge Cup's 13th and 14th teams and Farr said the side, which lost the 2023 reserve grade preliminary final to Cowra, should be aiming high.
"It's my first year coaching first grade," he said.
"It will be a bit of a challenge moving to Woodbridge Cup, it's a pretty tough comp out that way.
"If we get a lot of the boys who were there last year we will be very competitive. We should be looking to make the top four at least. There are a few discussions and signings in progress at the moment.
"It will be warmer out west as well which will test the boys out a fair bit."
The former Carocoar Crows and Canowindra Tigers player revealed his tactics wouldn't be too revolutionary, instead wanting to build on a solid foundation.
"I want to carry on from where Alex and Jesse left off last year," he said.
"They had them running pretty well, only being one game away from a grand final. If it's a similar team they already know what they're doing and I'll hopefully just keep them going in the right direction.
"I'm looking forward to coaching a few of the older blokes like Adam Lowe and Alex Pettit. I used to coach them back in under 18s and I think it could be their last hurrah.
"The young fellas that were there last year did a good job as well. They are pretty handy footballers."
