Former Papua New Guinea player and coach Kevin Rooney is going to take the first grade reins after Ross Duncan moved to Newcastle in order for his wife to study.

Rooney says  he has some radical changes for the side which battled for consistency last year, although is playing his cards close to his chest.

“They have done a lot of work off the field,” Rooney said.

“The Magpies have been building for four years.”

“All I will say is that we will be playing a very quick small-man game.”

The Magpies have missed some size of late but are hoping to make up for it with creativity, speed and fitness.

If Rooney’s son Wes can beat the visa issues that prevented him last year, the fly half who also represented PNG is sure to put a bit of buzz into the backline.

The coach believes that last year the Maggies really struggled to close games out.

“Some of the scores really didn’t reflect the games,” Rooney said.

“We were in it for 50 or 60 minutes but then we would lose it.”

“It is good to have a goal of making that top five.”

President Sam Scott is also playing his cards close, saying that while the club has lost some key positions, they have also picked up at least six first grade players who will have a big impact on the side.

“We have a few miners from Muswellbrook,” Scott said.

“We also have a few more coming through work and just through the family and club connections. That is the sort of club we are.

We are still obviously looking for more.”

The club also welcomes back probably their best-ever player, Bernie Klasen, to the fold to coach the U18s.

Klasen captained NSW Country against the British and Irish Lions and played in the gold of the Cockatoos for several seasons.

Klasen will be joined by Kevin Dickie in the juniors with Bernie Williams, Brent Robinson and Murray Lang coaching the 16s.

Chris Collins and Dick Leonard will coach the reserves and work closely with Rooney at the top.

“The trick here is to play a different kind of rugby,” Rooney said.

“Hopefully in the future we can call it Magpie rugby.”

“Small-man, fast rugby.”

The coach is a former Tamworth Public and Oxley High student, who moved back to Papua New Guinea after school, before making the choice to move to Australia and settle in Tamworth.

Anyone interested in playing for  the club should attend training at 6pm  any Tuesday or Thursday night at Rugby Park.