ADAM Bettridge says he would "love" to oversee a title defence with the Rebels next year, feels the NSW Country Championships format should stay the same and backs Newcastle to dominate upcoming representative selections.
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Although "not ruling out coaching full-time in club land again" and having returned from a stint at the Knights, Bettridge relished a successful 2023 campaign with the Rebels capped off by last month's 49-16 final win over Riverina.
"Definitely, I'd love to do it again [coach the Rebels]," Bettridge told the Newcastle Herald.
"Coming back from the Knights where it's very developmental-style coaching to result-driven competition I really enjoyed.
"Do I want to coach club footy again? Yes, probably at some stage. I've probably missed my coaching a fair bit more now than I thought I would. But that box is ticked for this year and next year we'll see how we go."
In terms of the tournament structure, placed before regular rounds kick-off around the state, Bettridge said: "I like it at the start of the year. I think it allows clubs to focus on the year and not pull players out during the year. And at the end of the year guys are more inclined to put their feet up, go on holidays and won't commit".
He also welcomed Newcastle's return following a lengthy hiatus: "The NSW Country Championships need to be the pinnacle of country rugby league and needs to be played with the best sides possible".
A NSW Country squad is expected to be officially unveiled at the end of this month, but the Newcastle Herald understands players have already been informed.
"I think everyone put their best foot forward, but when you dominate a competition like that you'd like to think you're pretty dominant in country selections. Individually, our goal was to get as many players into the side as possible, hopefully when that's announced we'll have plenty of Newy boys in there," he said.
NSW Country are scheduled to meet NSW City on the weekend of May 6-7, which doubles as a competition-wide bye in Newcastle.
* LAKES will be without Dylan Phythian over the next fortnight after the former NRL player copped his second two-match suspension in quick succession.
Findings were officially handed down on Wednesday with the 27-year-old having entered an early guilty plea for a dangerous contact charge from the Seagulls' 34-16 loss to hosts The Entrance.
In what marked his first appearance for the club this season, Phythian was put on report for the grade-one incident nearing half-time. However, two misdemeanours recorded in the previous 12 months didn't help his case.
A similar ban last month saw him sidelined for the back end of Newcastle's successful NSW Country Championships campaign.
Phythian will be available for Lakes again when they welcome Wests to Cahill Oval on April 29 while, in the meantime, Pichai Dixon has been named to partner Jack Kelly in the halves.
* TWO players, Cessnock's Brent Mendyk and Wests' Jake Goodwin, escaped with warnings for dangerous contact charges after entering early guilty pleas this week.
* ENTRANCE, fresh off a season-opening victory, will be minus centre Adam McInnes (broken jaw) when they host Souths on Sunday. Jacob Kernick shapes as the likely replacement.
* ROUND 4: Saturday - Lakes v Hawks at Cahill Oval, Wests v Cessnock at Harker Oval, Macquarie v Kurri Kurri at Lyall Peacock Field, Wyong v Central at Morry Breen Oval. Sunday - The Entrance v Souths at EDSACC Oval.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
