There's certainly a sense of the prodigal son returning but Orange CYMS' new captain-coach Dan Mortimer won't promise a Group 10 premiership in his first year back in green and gold in 2020.
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Of course he did add a title is the ultimate goal, 'everyone wants to win it' after all.
After putting pen to a two-year deal Mortimer takes the reins from Dom Maley, who moves into the president's role after leading the side through an injury-plagued 2019 season that ended without a finals berth.
"From all accounts Dom did a really good job considering the injuries and it being a bit of a transition year with [Mick Sullivan] leaving, sponsors changing and that sort of thing," Mortimer said.
When I can still offer something, there's nowhere better to do it than my junior club.
- CYMS captain-coach Dan Mortimer
"Making sure everyone's healthy to start with and then keeping everyone on the paddock will be important and obviously everyone wants to win it but I've signed for two years.
"The first one will be about learning and demonstrating culture as much as anything, so I'm not going to promise a premiership, but we'll be going out there to win games.
"I'm really, really excited about it though, I'm looking forward to getting stuck in."
A reinvigorated passion for the game, discovered at the Currumbin Eagles this year, confirmed the NRL premiership-winner's desire to return to his junior club, although there'd been discussions prior to that.
"After I retired I came back to Orange for a month or so and really enjoyed it, I actually had a discussion with CYMS then and they sort of said 'we'll be interested whenever you're ready'," Mortimer, a veteran of 128 NRL games for the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla, Parramatta and Gold Coast, said.
"Then I had an offer from Mudgee (for the 2019 season) and it was really, really tempting but my wife and I spoke about it and we went back to the Gold Coast, I played a bit up there with Currumbin and I think I rediscovered my love for the game.
"I didn't realise how much players, especially the young ones, were going to lean on me for experience and that, I think, made me start thinking that it could still be a career in a way and I did still have a lot to offer.
"When I can still offer something, there's nowhere better to do it than my junior club."
Having the opportunity to play with his brothers was obviously a massive draw card too, although he said 'they'll have to earn their spot just like anyone else'.
"I've played one game with Tim at Parramatta in an NRL trial, but that's the only chance I've had to play with any of my brothers. I'm looking forward to that, unless I decide to stick them in reserve grade," Mortimer laughed.
"Playing with Rob and Tim was definitely a draw card but they'll have to earn their spot just like anyone else, James too if he decided to come have a run. He's retired more times than John Farnham though."
The 30-year-old, who also played for the Leigh Centurions in the English Super League, confirmed the club is in the process of signing players at the moment, there's no truth to the rumour he's drawing on his old Parramatta team-mates though.
"I heard the rumour about Timmy Mannah coming about a month ago, I texted him straight afterwards actually," Mortimer laughed.
"But no, there's no truth to that one. The club's in the process of signing a few players now but from speaking to everyone, I actually don't think the club really needs to recruit that heavily and I want to use the local guys.
"It's a tough competition, (Bathurst) Panthers have done a good job and Hawks, Mudgee were obviously dangerous this year too so we'll just see how it goes once the season comes around."
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
