Following the surprise decision to replace Sean Hayne with Hickey, the new mentor said the players had pledged him their support and he expected almost all of last season’s grand final team to return in 2019.

He said he had been appointed to secure Gunnedah their first premiership since 1998, after Hayne piloted the side to a narrow grand final loss to North Tamworth last season. 

“Everything’s progressing really well … [I’m] very optimistic with the season coming up,” he said.

“We’ve got good footballers, they made a grand final last season. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be in the top-four teams again next season, and obviously we’re planning on getting to a grand final and winning it in 2019.

“So that’s our plan, that’s why I’ve been appointed coach and that’s what we’ll be heading towards.”

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Hickey, a former Bulldog who has coaching experience across multiple sports, appears to have adopted a strength-in-numbers ethos – with the plan to include the club’s “junior coaches” and reserve-grade coach in the top-grade structure “so that everyone will be involved”.

“But most importantly, the first-grade senior players will be determining their own future next season,” he said. 

“I’ll be facilitating everything that’s required as a coach but the players will be driving the type of training, how often we train – all of that will be dictated by the leadership group.”

Hickey said the leadership group would be responsible for the team’s “attitude and actions throughout the year”. The group will be revealed at a “formal night coming up very shortly”.

Hickey, who is also Swimming Gunnedah head coach, said there had been no backlash stemming from his appointment, after he and Hayne were the only candidates for the job.

“I think that sort of thing’s been highly overrated,” he said, referring to talk of a backlash, adding that he had had a “discussion with Sean [Hayne] – that’s it”.

Bulldogs second-rower Sam Lumby had said the decision to remove Hayne was “pretty ordinary”.