Rugby League Coaching Manuals

Qld Times - North Ipswich coaching duo of David Haug and Ricky Jones are back together for another Ipswich Rugby League season. Having played together for many years, the Haug and Jones combination proved a success last year, as they guided a young and under strength Tigers team to a top five finish.

Despite no hoard of new recruits or significant key signings, the pair is content to build on what is looking to be an almost identical side to 2008.

The Tigers have lost Courtney Journing and Christian Christensen, but have picked up enough to lead Haug to believe his side is, if anything, stronger than last year.

“I'd say we're around the same, we've lost one or two,” Haug said.

“There's still a dozen or so up the road (at the Jets).

“So we're hoping to get a few back. Overall, we're a little bit up on last year, quantity and quality.

“We've just picked up one or two, improving our depth.”

Haug will also undertake another role at the club, taking over the Norths Leagues Club.

Which, especially now as he settles into his new position, means Jones will often be left at the helm.

“I'll be taking the whole lot while he's upstairs,” Jones said.

However, Haug showed full confidence in his co-coach.

“It's just happened that way at present, it's fallen back to Rick to take up that slack,” Haug said.

“I'm not worried, we coach the same way, we used to play together.

“So we work well together.

“We have our disagreements, we used to have many disagreements on the field.

“But we know how each other works.”

New strength and conditioning coach Craig Rule has added to the squad's 2009 campaign.

Welcomed to the club at the end of last year, Haug said Rule's presence in the pre-season had already made big improvements with the team.

“He's stepped into the role more so this year,” Haug said.

“Fitness is a big thing this year, and the boys are showing they're a lot fitter now than they were this time last year.”

The IRL season begins next week with the inaugural sevens competition, followed by City versus Country on March 15.

Round one kicks off on March 21 and 22.