Evolving the way a team plays is often a slow, painstaking process, but it is one to which Richard Nicholl has committed himself.
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![Game ready: The Tamworth Kangaroos will face their first real challenge this season as they attempt to adapt updated training tactics in a game. Photo: Ben Jaffrey. Game ready: The Tamworth Kangaroos will face their first real challenge this season as they attempt to adapt updated training tactics in a game. Photo: Ben Jaffrey.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/c9fe96b3-76d8-4fa9-8383-bb50c5d21ecb.jpg/r0_0_2606_1743_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As the newly-installed coach of the Tamworth Kangaroos, Nicholl has decided to modernise the team's tactics, and much of the pre-season training to date has reflected this new direction.
The side has made steady, if gradual, progress, but what pleases the new coach more than anything is the enthusiasm with which they have taken to the updated playing style.
"They're getting a few of the concepts, and what I really like, and what you really want as a coach, is the players are telling me," Nicholl said.
"We've gotten to the point where they're repeating my words back to me, I'm really happy about that. It means some of the concepts are sticking, so we're looking forward to Saturday to trial those things."
The Kangaroos' first trial game will take place this Saturday, against Muswellbrook in Muswellbrook.
With nothing on the line except the chance to get some kilometres into the players' legs, Nicholl is eager to see how they take to the new tactics in the team's first competitive hit-out during his tenure.
"It's great when the scoreboard doesn't matter," he said.
![New look: Richard Nicholl has brought to the Kangaroos a different perspective with a more modern gameplay style. Photo: Peter Hardin. New look: Richard Nicholl has brought to the Kangaroos a different perspective with a more modern gameplay style. Photo: Peter Hardin.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/e3bb755c-497b-4ae6-8186-be6be30926fc.jpg/r654_136_4946_3108_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We're playing without consequence, we're not playing for points, we're just playing to learn. Aside from coaching, I'll be very interested as a spectator at the same time to see how things go."
Given the relaxed nature of trial games, Nicholl has decided to put his own spin on coaching and will do so from on the field.
Having gotten the okay from Muswellbrook, Nicholl will be on the field this Saturday - well out of the way of the players - to get a better idea of the shape of the game.
"I won't be playing, I'll be trying to stay out of the way of course but be within yelling distance," he said.
"From the sideline, it's hard to see everything. But in the middle, it's more spatial, whereas on the sideline it's two dimensional. When you're out there on the field it's completely different."
The team's openness to Nicholl's ideas, the new coach believes, is partially down to the youth of the group.
A small handful of the senior players are at or near 30 years old, while the rest are younger, and it is this freshness among the squad that Nicholl hopes will be their biggest advantage.
"The fitness will definitely be an asset," he said.
"There are three or four young guys who have just left junior football. We did a two kilometre time trial and there are some who ran just under four minute kilometres, which is elite. I'm really looking forward to boys getting in the midfield and running both ways.
"At the end of the day, AFL is a running game. It is still physical, no doubt, guys are smashing and tackling each other. But the modern game is a running game.
"I am hoping that stamina will be something we can rely on, that fitness level. The core part of our group are really fit, the 21st and 22nd player may not be as fit, but as I said the main group of players who will affect the contest are really fit."
The Kangaroos will take on Muswellbrook this Saturday at Weeraman Fields from 1pm.
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