Central coach Adam Bettridge has confirmed the addition of former Macquarie duo Cody Bryant and Callan Briggs as he prepares to embark on his first pre-season in charge of the Charlestown club this week.
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The Butcher Boys are among multiple Newcastle Rugby League sides starting their 2024 preparations this month and Bettridge takes his first session on Wednesday.
It marks a new era at Central with former Macquarie mentor Bettridge taking over from Phil Williams, who coached the Butcher Boys for five campaigns.
"I'm excited," Bettridge said. "The landscape is very different to when I left four years ago. The game has changed a lot in this town.
"It will be interesting to see how we go.
"I'm just looking forward to the week-to-week stuff, and game-day, I can't wait to get into it."
Bettridge hasn't coached in the local competition since 2019, his last season at the helm of Macquarie.
He led the Scorpions for four campaigns, claiming the 2017 premiership but finishing with two disappointing seasons, including a wooden-spoon in 2018.
Following a stint with the Knights' junior teams, he coached the Newcastle Rebels representative side this year - a role he relinquished after signing with Central.
The Butcher Boys, who made the finals in 2022, finished a lowly ninth this year after five wins, nine losses and two draws. Bettridge is eager to turn things around.
"It's a challenge, but we knew that when we first signed up for it," he said.
"I knew I wasn't going there for an easy job.
"I'm at that stage of my career that I couldn't go to a job that wasn't a challenge, I needed something to motivate me and something to put the fire in the belly.
"I'm aware it won't be easy but there's some really good things in place already and some things we can work on and build on."
The Butcher Boys have retained their 2023 squad and added the likes of Cody Bryant and Callan Briggs, who were both at Macquarie this year. The club has also brought former captain Ethan Cook back on board, and signed Dan Melmouth from Northern Hawks.
"We're hopeful we can add a few more to that along the way," Bettridge, who is contracted for the next two seasons, said. "It's all about bringing the Central juniors back and giving every kid a chance to play."
Bettridge said Central plan to return to the under-19s competition in 2024.
Elsewhere, two-time wooden-spooners Kurri Kurri started their pre-season earlier this month, the beginning of new coach Rip Taylor's tenure at the Bulldogs.
Wests and Lakes United both start this week.
Souths, Cessnock and Macquarie will kick off early next month.
Reigning premiers Maitland won't officially start until the new year.
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