NEW Western Division coach Darren Jackson believes better preparation will allow the Rams to once again become a force in country rugby league.

Jackson, a former Cobar, Dubbo Macquarie, Group 11, Western Division and Country hooker, will take over the role in 2016 after he met with a selection panel in Molong last Thursday.

Western Division has been knocked out of the Country Championships by Greater Northern in each of the past two years, with 2014’s 12-6 loss backed up by a 48-40 defeat this season.

With several years of experience with Group 11 under his belt, Jackson, a five-time Group 11 player of the year, believes preparation will be the key to turning around the fortunes of the men in green and white in 2016.

“I look back to when I was playing and I know how hard it can be to bring blokes together when there is so much distance to be covered,” Jackson said.

“But at the same time you can’t have two training runs and then play a game and expect to be successful.

“As a player, playing for Western Division was one of the pinnacles of my career so I’m pretty keen to try and help out and turn things around a little bit.

“I only got the job late last week but one of the things I’m toying with is maybe putting together a train-on squad and bring it together during the off-season, maybe around November, so I can have a look at everyone. 

“The good thing with a train-on squad is that it can be as big as you want it to be, and it gives the boys a chance to come together as a group and get to know each other.

“I’d also love to have a bit of a bonding session as well. I’m not saying we get rotten drunk and carry on, but a few drinks so the boys get to know each other outside of playing and training. I played under Dave Scott and he used to love using bonding sessions as a tool, and it seemed to work.”

With Jackson based at Bourke, the task of keeping an eye on the talent at his disposal will be difficult. 

Which is why he has already been in talks with some of his old playing buddies to act as scouts.

“I will have guys like Kip Maranda, Dave Elvy and Warick Colley watching Group 10 and reporting to me, and having had some experience with coaching Group 11 I know a lot of the guys but their selectors will be my eyes and ears there,” he said.

“I would also like to get to as many games as I can, and even speak with all the club coaches as well just so I can cover every base.

“At this level the guys you have are the best players and they want to be there. 

“I’m not going to come in with a fancy gameplan. It will be pretty simple but I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing what I can do because there is a lot of talent across Western Division at the moment.”