WHAT has been done before can be done again - that's why Port Macquarie Sharks have announced co-coaches for their 2020 Group 3 rugby league campaign.
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The last time the Sharks did it was back in 2008 when Kristian Murphy and Josh Mann took the reins.
David Geary and James Kelly will share the coaching duties in 2020 as the Sharks look to put a disappointing 2019 season behind them where they finished sixth.
Depth - or a lack of it - contributed to their downfall, but that won't be the case this season.
"We had a lot of blokes last year who were walk-up starts because there was no-one else there to take their spot, but this year there will be," Kelly said.
Geary also feels a "one-in, all-in" approach to the way they train will pay dividends on the field and culminate in positive results.
They were frustrated spectators at the business end of last season.
"There has been a bit of a divide between (Sharks) teams where this year it's going to be club first; friendships and personalities second," he said.
"The club and the team will come first over anything else and if there are tough decisions to be made, we'll make them.
"If someone's not putting in there will be someone there to take their place and that's something we haven't had in the last few years."
Culture is a word that has been - and will continue to be - thrown around Sharks headquarters.
"Having a good culture produces good teams," Geary said.
"We're really happy with the squad we've put together and we're still working on a few others but 85 percent of those players are Sharks juniors."
Geary was looking forward to working with a number of under-18 players who have developed over the last six years into regular first graders.
"When I first came to the club in 2013, they were in the under-18s and now they're more senior players in the club," he said.
Every position in the Sharks side will be up for grabs with no player guaranteed a spot from week to week.
There has been a bit of a divide between teams where this year it's going to be club first, friendships and personalities second.
- David Geary
Familiar faces such as Luke Sprague, Harley Gore, Harry Hanley and Jake Green will return in a full-time capacity while the club has signed former Port City and Macleay Valley backrower Chris Piper along with Nic Andriessen.
Those signings have been slightly offset by the loss of halfback Josh Dwyer to Newcastle and lock Ryan Long to South Sydney.
"We haven't even spoken to any players about who we want playing what position; it's about getting as many people there with a good attitude," Geary said.
Kelly conceded the 2018 Group 3 premiers had some work to do with their discipline after being one of the most penalised sides in the competition in 2019.
He felt they would be a lot fitter than they had been previously.
"Our goal is to win the comp and anything else is a failure," he said.
"In the last five years we have been in three grand finals and won two, so we want to make sure this year is a grand final winning side not only in first grade, but reggies, 18s and even the girls."
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