Brooker officials announced the popular mentor would be extending his coaching tenure to the playing group on Thursday night.

In a further bonus, the club has also lured favourite son Josh Jones back to the club as an assistant coach.

The former captain and best and fairest winner relocated to Tamworth last season but is set to return in the new year.

Jones will be assistant coach alongside Andrew Mackinlay who performed the same role this year.

In a succession plan, the pair are set to replace Sharp in 2024 as co-coaches.

The duo have strong family ties to the Brookers with their fathers Cameron Jones and Robbie Mackinlay dual premiership players and life members of the club.

Brookers' football operations manager Trent Boers conceded it was rare for a coach to spend six years as coach of the one club.

But the philosophy behind the reappointment was simple.

"As a committee we agreed if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Boers said.

"We all know the football environment at the moment and there is a lot less player movement for whatever reason.

"And there are even less players that want to coach.

"If you go back a decade ago there would be plenty of players leaving the O&M and looking for coaching gigs.

"Now I don't think many players want to coach.

"I don't necessarily think you need your coach to be your best player but more importantly a popular bloke that can attract recruits.

"We're fortunate to have 'Sharpie' who ticks all the boxes in a great coach, great player and even a greater bloke."

Boers said the club was also immensely proud to have some homegrown talent ready to replace Sharp in 2024.

"I think it's fair to say that it's rare these days to see your local talent coach their home club," he said.

"But Josh and Andrew are highly respected internally and no doubt it will be a proud moment for both their fathers to see them coach after they were both such loyal servants to the club."

Sharp replaced Adrian Whitehead at the end of 2017 and has the Brookers in second spot with a 9-1 record.

The Brookers alongside Osborne who are undefeated are the two standout sides of the competition.

It would be a major shock if the pair didn't meet in the grand final.

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Boers revealed the Brookers are trying to emulate Osborne's blueprint for success.

"It's no secret that Osborne are the envy of the competition with the amount of success they have had for more than two decades," he said.

"Every club in the competition strives to beat them and they are the hunted.

"Their success is built around their local talent and complemented by recruiting players to fill deficiencies in areas they lack.

"That's where we want to be, develop our local talent and recruit specific players to bolster positions that we lack.

"It's a proven model and one we are striving to emulate."

Sharp is set to join Chris King 1920-23 and 1925-26 alongside Brian Prior 1961-66 as the longest serving coaches.

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