HE helped the under 18 Saints to Group 10 premiership glory and moulded a group of Panorama Platypi largely consisting of league newcomers into a finals outfit, but now Kevin Grimshaw has a new coaching challenge.
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It's been four decades since Grimshaw played or coached at Canowindra but in 2021, the Tigers product will return to his old stomping ground to coach the side during its centenary campaign.
It was a spectacle that was scheduled to take place last winter but when the virus brought a halt to the season, the club was forced to put its plans on hold.
Grimshaw is a multi-premiership winning player and coach at Bathurst, Canowindra and Lithgow, and when he returns to Tigertown for the Woodbridge Cup this season, he expects nothing less than success.
"I want my players to have a winning attitude and I want 100 percent commitment from them as well," Grimshaw said.
"I'll be looking at a top-four finish and from then on, it's in our hands."
Several big names have been linked to the Tigers in recent seasons but ahead of this year, there's only one new addition the head coach can confirm.
"Eman Rodriguez is going to come play for us," he said.
"Everyone who's spoken about him has said he's got a really good attitude and that's what I'm trying to bring to the club.
"I want people who are willing to work and willing to take ownership."
Outside Rodriguez, the Tigers are set to welcome back three sets of brothers as the Hughes, Earsman and Whatman duos will all lace up the boots in 2021.
While Brydon and Curtis Hughes will play, Regan is set to stay in Sydney which shapes as a big loss to the club.
"He'll be sadly missed because of his try-scoring ability but we've got plenty of talented footballers on our team," he said.
It's been a long time between drinks for the Tigers but Grimshaw knows this season would be the perfect time for Canowindra to lift the Woodbridge Cup.
"This year is really, really huge," he said.
"This is a jumper that's been worn for 100 years... we aren't just playing for ourselves, we're playing for everyone who's worn the jumper in the last century.
"That's who we're playing for this season."
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Jake Humphreys
Sports nut at the Central Western Daily.
Sports nut at the Central Western Daily.
