Former Albury Thunder coach Josh Cale has landed the prized role of NSW Country Rugby League coach.
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“I was pretty stunned, I definitely didn’t expect it,” he said.
“It’s definitely a great honour and I’m still a little shocked to be honest.”
It’s a reward for the former NRL lower-grader’s rising reputation.
I was pretty stunned, I definitely didn’t expect it. It’s definitely a great honour and I’m still a little shocked to be honest.
- Josh Cale
Cale coached the Thunder to its maiden title in 2012, kick-starting a hat-trick.
He led the club to six successive finals campaigns.
Cale, who turns 35 on Saturday, played a major role in lifting the Thunder into a formidable force in Group 9.
He assembled a star-studded line-up, including former Roosters’ under 20s captain Lou Goodwin, who will be looking to make his NRL debut this year with the Canberra Raiders.
Under his leadership, the Thunder became the most powerful force in Riverina Rugby League.
After stepping down from his role after the last of the club’s premierships, he then led Riverina to a drought-breaking tier two country title in 2015, retaining the crown last year when the final was washed out.
He will combine the Riverina coaching job with the country position.
All senior representative rugby league in the bush is now at under 23 level.
“It was really hard for some of the guys the way it was before with young families, work and those sorts of things,” Cale said.
“A lot of the under 23s are just coming into first grade, a lot of them still have aspirations to go further.”
There’s an enormous incentive for those players, with the CRL set to face Samoa ahead of the World Cup in Wagga on October 14.
Samoa has a host of NRL first-graders, including two of the most destructive forwards in the game in Canterbury’s Sam Kasiano and Canberra’s Junior Paulo.
“If the blokes aren’t playing NRL, they’re at an NRL club, so obviously it’s a massive challenge,” he said.
There’s also been speculation NSW Country could play Scotland later in the year.
CRL officials have approached former NSW State of Origin captain Danny Buderus to take on a role with Cale.
Former NSW forward Craig Fitzgibbon has also been mentioned as another candidate.
“I know Fitzy well,” Cale said.
“There’s been a few names tossed up, but it doesn’t really worry me.
“Whoever is there I’ll annoy them and try and learn as much as I can while I’m in camp.”
Cale played with the Roosters and Bulldogs in the NRL lower grades, earning a reputation as a tough front-rower.
