A focus on community and youth is what the Inverell Hawks are aiming for as they prepare for the 2022 season.
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This season saw the Hawks on track to play finals before the coronavirus pandemic cut it short.
With that in mind, the club is determined to make 2022 bigger and better both on and off-the-field.
Brock Mathers returns as the A-grade coach while Dave Bell has been appointed under 18.5s mentor.
The league tag coaching position has been filled but the club are yet to announce it.
Mathers said they have already put plans in place for next year and are hoping to return to and "old school" style of club culture.
"We have a strong committee and all involved are working hard to make sure the club is successful into the future. We have a committee of around 16 people which is great for the club," he said.
"We are going to start our preseason a bit earlier this year, on the 22nd of January out at Copeton Dam on a Saturday," he said.
"[We will] just do a bit of a fitness session and family barbecue to get all the families out there with all the kids and start building that family atmosphere again."
Mathers said there is going to be a particular focus on the youth of the club.
"We spoke to the junior Hawks committee," he said.
"I wanted to get the 16s involved in the pre-season training so they can mix with the older guys, start their season a bit earlier, get them keen so we have invited all the under 16s, boys and the girls to come and start training in January with us.
"Bringing back that old school feel to country footy where you do your stuff as far as training goes and game day goes but there is a social side and family side as well which goes way back to the juniors.
"That is going to set the club up down the track to be a strong footy club for as long as we can."
Mathers is particularly keen on ensuring Bell gets a side to coach in the 18.5 competition.
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"He [Bell] has been involved in the junior system for a long time and is well-respected amongst the age group he is coaching," he said.
"We are excited to have Dave onboard and look forward to watching and helping him develop a strong 18.5 side.
"The biggest thing I am trying to push now is I am trying to ring all the other clubs to try and get them to pull their finger out and get an 18s together.
"It is one thing for us to try and get a team together but there will be no comp with just one team or two teams."
There's also plans surrounding game days.
There will be and Old Boys' day, Ladies day as well as matches on Anzac Day and Friday night fixtures.
"The draw hasn't come out yet but our plan is to hold the first game of the season on Anzac day which is a Monday," Mathers said.
"They have done it before in the past and it has been successful so that is what we are planning as far as that goes.
"But Friday nights will be interesting. You will pull a crowd.
"We are going to try it and see how it goes. It is all a learning thing for a lot of us seeing what work and what doesn't work."
Alex McCosker and Harold Duncan have also been announced as club captains for 2022.
"They are two guys that have been around the Hawks a long time and are well-respected," Mathers said.
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