Kooringal has signed Nathanael Mooney as their new senior coach for the next two Wagga Cricket seasons.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Mooney last played for Kooringal in the 2021-22 season and he returns to the Colts after a couple of years away living in Canberra.
A talented junior growing up, Mooney in the years before his departure also represented Riverina and Wagga Sloggers.
Mooney will take over the role from Keenan Hanigan and he said it was a privilege to be leading the Colts in what is a milestone year for the club.
"We've got the 40th year so to come back, get the question and the tap on the shoulder to take it up I'm pretty privileged," Mooney said.
"It's a club that has given so much to me over the past few years and coming back after a few years away is going to be interesting, but I'm really looking forward to it."
Mooney revealed he doesn't have much prior experience as a cricket coach however said that he has coached in the past.
"I've done a little bit here and there with rugby in juniors," he said.
"But the best way to learn is to be in the job and doing it.
"I'm looking forward to the challenges, successes and learning's from the season."
There hasn't been much player movement ahead of the upcoming season, however it is confirmed the Colts will be without former captain Sam Gainsford who has joined St Patrick's for the upcoming Cricket Albury-Wodonga campaign.
Mooney admitted he was yet to have a concrete idea of how their squad was looking, however he believed that they should be relatively strong this season.
"It's shaping up pretty well," he said.
"But it's hard to tell in July as blokes are pretty focused on footy and other things.
"Once boys start thinking about whether they are going to go round again that's when we'll start shaping up not just as a squad but the whole club in general."
Mooney also believed that a start date for pre-season would also be influenced by the winter ball sports.
"It's hard to tell with all the different codes, when they finish and the fact the season is yet to get a serious starting date," he said.
"I'd like to get going when we can, but it will be determined by blokes playing footy and their availability."
The Colts were knocked out in the elimination final last season to eventual grand finalists South Wagga and Mooney agreed it would be nice to celebrate the 40th year with a strong campaign.
"Milestones are milestones, 40 years of a cricket club in Wagga is a big thing and going to be a driving point for us," he said.
"On-field success will come if we put the work in and blokes turn up and are ready to roll and have that buy in.
"Only time will tell how successful the on-field will be."
The Colts had three of their junior teams make finals last year and they have got a number of talented youngsters that could one day play first grade for Kooringal.
Mooney said he was excited to work alongside the younger players at the club and help them develop their skills so they can play grade cricket in the not too distant future.
"I'm really looking forward to that," he said.
"After conversations with the board, our juniors are likely to have a representation in most if not all of the grades.
"To have that as a club in such a significant year is really a positive for the future of the club.
"I want to be able to coach and help the older boys that are about to graduate from juniors to seniors to give them as much support and help as we can.
"If that means they might play a couple of games here and there this year to further their development then that's what we are going to do."
Colts president Brenton Crawford was delighted to have Mooney back at Kooringal and onboard for the next two years as senior coach.
