What originally started as a joke and a throwaway line has ended with a new coach for the Lake Cathie Raiders.
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Jayden Ehsman will build on a platform which began to be laid in 2021 as the Raiders prepare to embark on their second season back in the Hastings League.
His next job will be to instill a sense of resilience within the team which was missing all too often in their first campaign back after a five-year absence.
The Raiders showed improvement in the back end of 2021 through a newfound resilience, but the challenge is to maintain that for longer periods with captain Jarid Bruen to provide a sounding board.
"Obviously a premiership would be ideal," Ehsman said when asked of his goals.
"The club has set a solid platform and we can only build from that and hopefully then make our way into the semis. Jarid and I are very keen on the season with a few boys from Port coming down.
It is understood the Raiders are in talks with a few Queensland Cup players as well.
Ehsman said the pinnacle for any coach is always a grand final although he knows the club is still a way from that.
But you have to start somewhere.
"We've got stepping stones to walk on and down the track we might be the team to beat, but hopefully we can build from this year," he said.
A serious neck injury put an end to Ehsman's career in 2019 and when the opportunity to coach the Raiders arose he was more than happy to accept it.
"I was always going to eventually give coaching a crack towards the end of my career but it came a bit quicker than I thought," he said.
"I've got more time now to get more experience and hopefully go and coach a few rep sides down the track. I thought I'd take it on board here because coaching 18s and 16s is a bit more difficult than coaching older people."
After playing the game since the age of four Ehsman said it was exciting to stay involved.
"Not being able to play was stressing me out and coaching keeps me on the level of playing," he said.
"The winning part is exciting, but losing is a bit frustrating as well. Like anything you take the good with the bad and it keeps me involved in footy.
"I bleed and breathe footy."
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