Adam Hall jokes his spruiked retirement following last year's memorable Woodbridge Cup premiership win only "lasted a couple of days".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
John Farnham would be proud but the Boomers? Well, they're jumping out of their skin.
The two-time Trundle premiership winning first grade coach has returned to the club he's helped transform into a Woodbridge Cup powerhouse and will on Saturday play halfback against another of the competition's resurgent giants.
Under the guidance of Steve Taylor, Grenfell has been building for the last couple of seasons and the Goannas travel to Berryman Oval on Saturday on the back of a thumping 62-22 win over Eugowra in the opening round of 2019.
Likewise, Hall's Boomers, under the coaching of Josh Miles this season, have started their bid for a cup three-peat in style, knocking off a fancied Tigers side in Canowindra.
Hall was superb in the No.7 jumper for the Boomers in their 26-18 first-up victory and says committing to the club for another season was always part of the plan - sort of.
"I never really said I was going to retire," Hall, 33, laughed.
"I thought about it ... but that only lasted a couple of days.
"I've been training more now than I probably ever have. I'm feeling really good at the moment.
I think it's going to be the story of the year. It's a really tight comp.
- Adam Hall on the 2019 Woodbridge Cup premiership race.
"Josh is doing a bloody good job (as coach), too. He's really knowledgeable and the team's going well."
A belief that will be tested by the Goannas on Saturday in a huge match-up.
Grenfell boasts a big pack, and with Steve Ingram in the centres that immense size spreads towards the black and golds' flanks too.
Hall said his side's defence will be key, as it was against the Tigers.
"I think it's going to be the story of the year. It's a really tight comp," he added.
Trundle has retained about half of last year's premiership-winning squad while Brendan Sense, another former captain-coach, has returned to the club in 2019.
Sense was on deck at the club before Jesse Durning's tenure in 2015 and 2016, while Hall took the reigns alongside Hayden Robinson in 2017 and 2018.
He said those two-year stints coaching seem to work well for the club and backed Miles to continue the club's recent purple patch in the Woodbridge Cup.
"He's been great for the club," Hall added.
"And Brendan coached two years before Jesse and created a lot of the culture we've got at the club now, so it's good to have him back."
Trundle tackles Grenfell from 3pm at Berryman Oval.
In other round two games, Manildra kicks off its 2019 season after a round one bye with a home clash against Cargo, Eugowra hosts Condobolin and Canowindra travels to Peak Hill. Molong has a round two bye before their first home game of the season in round three.