Rams off to top start under new coach

but this is the first time coaching first grade.”

With a brand-new coach at the helm, the Penrith Rams are looking to return to the Finals of the AFL Sydney Platinum Division competition.

Following the departure of Premiership-winning coach Kevin Kirk in the off-season, the Rams have recruited none other than one of the club’s most capped players to fill his enormous shoes.

Jason Ware, who played more than 300 games for the Rams between 1985 and 2017, kicked off his new gig with a win last weekend in the opening round of the 2023 season.

Speaking with the Weekender following Penrith’s 50-48 triumph over the Balmain Tigers at Greygums Oval, Ware said he was looking forward to the challenge of taking over from Kirk.

“I’ve had a fair bit to do with Kevin over the years, I actually played with him in the U12s. I knew he was looking at stepping down, so I decided to put my hand up,” Ware said.

“I’ve coached reserve grade and captained first grade for a few years and won some awards as a player,

Come

With most of the 2022 squad back along with some new recruits and talented local juniors, Ware is hoping he’ll be able to return his beloved club to the promised land again.

“I saw a few things in the team last year that I thought they could improve on,” Ware admitted.

“I don’t want to change too much but a bit of a different game plan, and I’m also trialling a few blokes in different positions. We played a few young blokes without much, if any, first grade experience last week, they are all local juniors.”

Last week Penrith fought back from 22 points down at half-time to defeat the Tigers by two behinds. Without any trial games to blow out the cobwebs, Ware was very proud of his side’s resilience and grit.

“It was a game of two halves. We had a lot of chances in the first half that we blew and didn’t play the way we wanted,” he said.

“I think not having a pre-season game didn’t help. We were very rusty. But in the second half we made some changes despite being down on troops, and it was a pretty gutsy win in the end.”

The Rams will look to make it two from two when they return from the Easter break to battle Southern Power next Saturday afternoon at Waratah Oval.