'I'd still have to be involved': Star swaps the boots for the coaching pad

Gunnedah's star fullback and captain will coach the Red Devils in their 2024 Central North campaign after being forced to hang up the boots after he fractured his his C6 and C7 in a game against Moree last year.

Suffering a clay-shoveler fracture, as it was termed, when he was caught high in their Round 12 clash, while he has been able to get back to doing some sport, such as touch football, rugby is a 'no-go'.

What Saturday's in winter have meant since he was a teenager, Perrett admits it was "quite hard" accepting that he would never play again.

"It's definitely not something you want forced upon you, you'd prefer it to be your own decision, especially when it's an injury," he said.

"If it was anything other than a neck and the doctor told me I can't play again I would still play, even I was just hobbling around and playing reserve grade off the bench or whatever, I'd still do it.

"But the risk of not being able to walk again or something like that, it's a bit more than [for example] breaking a bone in your leg."

And while it possibly would have been easier to stay away, Perrett knew that he probably wouldn't be able to.

He also knew that he wouldn't be content just spectating: he'd still "have to be involved".

So when Dan Martin decided to step down as head coach, it seemed a way of satiating that want to be involved.

"I don't think I'd be able to sit on the sidelines without having any impact on the game," Perrett said.

"It might frustrate me but.."

Part of what is driving him is that he doesn't want to see things just fall away after all the "time and effort" that has gone into building the Red Devils into the force they are today.

And while it wasn't planned this way, he does see it as a natural progression.

Helping Martin out with the backs the last few years, he always thought when he retired, and once the dust had settled a bit, he'd turn his hand to coaching.

It's something he's done a fair bit of over the years, working as a rugby development officer with NSW Rugby before following opportunities overseas and looking after the youth programs for Scarborough Rugby Club in the UK for two years. And enjoys.

Back playing touch since just before Christmas, it was a significant milestone not only in his physical recovery but also mentally. It felt like he got a bit of his life back.

"I can't not play sport, so I was glad when I could get back to touch, get back to some of those things," Perrett said.

As for the Red Devils, 2024 is shaping as a bit of a rebuilding year.

Especially the backline.

Along with their talisman in Perrett, they've lost Hayne brothers Marcus and Callum while Darrell Morrison came off his bike the other week and broke both bones in his leg and one in his arm.

It "will be a long time" until he is right to play, if at all.

But, it's not all doom and gloom. While he isn't "100 per cent sure" yet, Perrett doesn't believe that they've lost too many forwards.

They've also had "some good young new faces" turning up to training.

Drawn to take on Pirates in the opening round, they have two trials locked in - the first on March 16, and the second on March 23.