![Scott Blanch has hung up the boots, but he remains heavily involved with Norths. Picture by Gareth Gardner Scott Blanch has hung up the boots, but he remains heavily involved with Norths. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/ef835056-1f47-44e5-bfbc-155954ee9f96.jpg/r0_0_4016_2811_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In Blanchy we trust.
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That's long been North Tamworth's thinking in relation to their great former playmaker Scott Blanch.
And now that the multiple premiership-winning captain and coach has hung up the boots, he has taken on a key new role at the club.
Bears coach Paul Boyce has revealed that Blanch will assist the club's new under-18 mentor Jermain Walford for the 2024 season.
It is the first time since 2019, when former NRL star Tom Lahrs coached Norths under-18s to the premiership, that the Bears have fielded an 18s outfit.
"For those kids to be able to learn off him, and develop a bit of a relationship with him, will be great," Boyce said of Blanch.
Boyce said Blanch - who retired after leading Norths to a recording-extending eighth straight premiership this year - would help Walford "in ensuring that those young players transition suitably over to the senior club".
"So, he's an asset," Boyce said, adding that the former Manly signing's involvement with the 18s would give the players "a really big boost".
![In 2024, Bears coach Paul Boyce will oversee another campaign. Picture by Ben Jaffrey In 2024, Bears coach Paul Boyce will oversee another campaign. Picture by Ben Jaffrey](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/3bfb577d-a383-4cd3-a9e0-a49f06ab056c.jpg/r0_0_1165_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The two-time premiership-winning mentor said the man he replaced as Bears coach had had "a fair career in rugby league, and he's a smart bloke".
"It's gonna be great for Jermain Walford as a coach too," Boyce said of Blanch's involvement with the 18s.
"He's a great young coach, Jermain. Very passionate. He takes a lot of pride in what he does for all the sports that he's involved with."
Lahrs - the former Blues enforcer who moved to Townsville with his family in 2020 - oversaw the development of future Norths first-graders such as Kobe Bone, Dan Kelly and Liam Ball.
"We've got some benefit from that," Boyce said. "And although we haven't had an 18s for the last few years, we're certainly looking forward to this next group."