Ben McCormack has made the shift from the Club Coach role at Coogee Oval to that of head coach. And given the pedigree, experience and rugby nous he has already amassed, you wouldn’t bet against him lifting the Galloping Greens back up into the upper echelons of the ladder they have been more accustomed to across the club’s illustrious history.

With head coach Robert Taylor taking up a professional role in England, the reigning two-time Premiers will be guided by co-coaches Joe Horn-Smith and Michael Hodge for the upcoming campaign. But actually being in the same country together is their first challenge!

In turning Gordon around from an 11th-place finish in 2018, to two points shy of finals footy a year later in his first season at Chatswood Oval, Darren Coleman cemented his reputation as one of the shrewdest coaches in the Australian game. He heads to the USA at the end of the upcoming season to test himself in the pro arena, but he has a few boxes to tick at the Highlanders before he leaves, and knockout footy is just the start…