There will be a new face on the coaching scene during the 2017 Group 10 league tag title race after Monique Christie-Johnston assumed the captain-coach’s position at Bathurst Panthers.
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Christie-Johnston is no stranger to leading roles, having captained the Panthers since the inaugural season in 2012.
Christie-Johnston said she is excited to take on her new role.
“It was something I've also wanted to do in my career, when the opportunity came around," she said.
“The club gave me a call and I jumped at it.
“Being a PE teacher, coaching is something I like doing and I've coached the Western touch team before.”
Christie-Johnston believes a league tag coach is better suited to relate to the players than someone with a rugby league background.
“It’s a totally different sport to rugby league and hopefully I bring some of the skills and techniques I know from playing, to the coaching scene,” she added.
Both Bathurst teams dominated the Group 10 league tag competition up until this year.
St Pats won the 2012 and 2015 edition, while Panthers won back-to-back grand finals in 2013 and 2014.
Blayney Bears won the 2016 competition, bringing an end to the Bathurst domination.
It was the Bears’ first title in any Group 10 competition since the first division team’s grand final win in 1999.
Christie-Johnston said it’s great a different team won the premiership last season.
“It makes the competition more enjoyable when it’s tight,” she said.
“It’s always healthy [when competition is tight] and makes you work hard.
“It also makes the victory more enjoyable and something to strive (for).”
Panthers finished the 2016 season as minor premiers, but lost their semi-final 16-12 to St Pats.
They were then knocked out of the post-season after losing to the Bears in a low-scoring preliminary final 6-4.
Panthers will be without start player Tilly Powers, after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Christie-Johnston said it has been “a bit hard to take” but knows Powers will be fighting to be back as soon as possible.
It has also left the team with a frustrating situation in the halves.
Both Christie-Johnston and Jess Hotham will look to fill the hole left by Powers.
Hotham returns to the Panthers squad in 2017 after missing 2016 due to maternity leave.
When asked on the future possibility of a women’s tackle rugby league competition, she said it is something the Country Rugby League are “pushing for”.
“Rugby league has always been a male-dominated sport and it would be good to get a tackle competition started,” she said.
Christie-Johnston said she will have plenty of support, with Dave Power, Dave Hotham and Dave Elvy set to lend a helping hand in her new role.
“I said if I was going to take the role, you guys will have to help,” she said.