Winds of change blowing for Rhyce Kliendienst: 'I'd like to test myself'

The Gunnedah resident has long been a fixture within the town's local cricket scene, and in the winter months has spent the last two years playing for the Boggabri Kangaroos' first grade outfit after several seasons with the Gunnedah Bulldogs.

But both facets of his sporting life have recently taken on different complexions.

In October, the former Mornington captain decided to play in the Tamworth competition and signed up with Old Boys.

That choice, Kliendienst said, was driven by the decline of Gunnedah cricket and his desire to compete at a higher level.

"The Gunnedah competition has fallen away in the last couple of years," he said.

"I spoke to Ben [Middlebrook] and a couple of the other boys in this club, so I thought I'd come over and have a game here. I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to test myself."

With 10 wickets at an average of less than 21 this season, Kliendienst has acquitted himself well.

And just a month after he joined the Tamworth competition, another big announcement was made regarding his rugby league career: in 2024, he will coach the Kangaroos' under 18s side.

It is the first time the club has fielded a team in the division for several years, and Kliendienst was honoured to have been asked to oversee them.

"I've probably only got a couple of years left in me in footy, so it's time to turn the table a bit and start doing a bit for the club," he said.

"I want to give back to the younger people."

As the newest side in the 18s, Kliendienst is realistic and knows Boggabri will not likely be immediate premiership contenders.

But he believes the team can be competitive.

And despite the club's long-running struggle to bolster its senior numbers, as many of their players work in the mines, Kliendienst holds out hope for the 18s.

"There are some juniors coming through," he said.

"We pull two or three players each year from that junior age group, but we're working on it. We've got probably eight locals from Boggy this year, and the rest of them will travel from Gunnedah, Narrabri, and we're trying to maybe even branch out a bit further."

Though he is only 28, niggly injuries have begun to take their toll and Kliendienst does not think he has long left in his playing career.

By taking on the coaching duties his season, he hopes to start a new path which will keep him involved in footy for years to come.

"I'm just over it, I've started to get niggly injuries. I'm doing my groin a lot now, ankle injuries," Kliendienst said.

"I'd like to take on more of a coaching role in years to come. I've probably got two or three seasons left in me [as a player]."