Adrian Purtell will again coach Albury Thunder next year

The Border's only product to play at NRL level, Purtell returned to coach his junior club in 2018 after a 15-year professional career.

"He's got a wealth of knowledge and in our last season (2019) we finished fourth where we went down to the eventual premiers (Tumut) who are again in the grand final (this Sunday), so whatever we were doing then, we were pretty close to the mark," delighted president Rick O'Connell said.

The Thunder didn't compete in Group Nine this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

O'Connell said the club had lost a "significant" amount of money, including sponsorship, as a result of COVID, which still threatens to make recruiting difficult for all bush clubs next year.

But while Purtell is staying put, the club will soon have a new off-field leader with O'Connell electing to step down after 15 seasons.

O'Connell and his fellow volunteers have done a remarkable job of transforming the club on and off the field, particularly in AFL heartland.

The border team entered the Riverina's strongest league in 1992 and became a force under ex-NRL lower grader Josh Cale in 2009.

Thunder won three successive premierships from 2012, with some of the greatest players the sport has ever seen in this region, including ex-NRL first grader Ben Jeffery and one-time Sydney Roosters' under 20 captain Lou Goodwin.

"That's one of the highlights, working with a group of people who are like-minded in trying to develop the sport, it's been really good," O'Connell enthused.

The retired teacher is now planning to travel after starting on the committee in 2004 and two years later as president.

"I'd like to look around Australia more in the warmer climes (climate)," he laughed.

The club's annual general meeting will be held at its Greenfield Park home on October 16 from 6.30pm.

And the Thunder will look to introduce men's and women's 9s competitions before Christmas.

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"Our players were denied the opportunity to participate in sport and this is a good way to get the groups together again in a more social setting," O'Connell said.

Dubbed 'Border Bubble', for players only within the Border region, the competition starts on Friday, October 30.