NEW North Ballarat Roosters coach Marc Greig feels comfortable with the progress he is making with player retention and potential recruiting.
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In only the third week since his appointment, Greig is well aware the Roosters are behind other VFL clubs in list management.
However, he believes they are not too badly placed.
He said one of his first tasks had been to get in touch with the Roosters' core group, which as an assistant coach he already had a close rapport.
As well as looking to secure these players, he was using this network to source possible recruits.
Greig said when looking at delisted AFL players everyone was in the same situation - waiting for the AFL national, pre-season and rookie drafts.
He said all the club could do was make contact with players and their manager, and this was being done.
Greig said closer to home, the Roosters were working to secure former North Ballarat Rebels, again pending drafts, and other country-based players.
Greig has replaced Gerard FitzGerald as head coach.
He was a premiership player under FitzGerald and an assistant coach as a player and after retiring from the VFL.
Greig said the full-time coaching role was certainly different to what he had been accustomed to as a builder, but his love for football was assisting in what was a quick learning curve.
"I have so many ideas in my head.
"It's going to take a while to get them to paper and in place."
Greig led his first pre-season training sessions at St Patrick's College on Monday night.
This will be the Roosters' primary training base in the off-season while the redevelopment of Eureka Stadium continues.
He said there would be group training on Mondays and Wednesdays. while players would given individual programs by the club's conditioning team for the end of the week and weekend.
Greig is encouraging any players who might like to test themselves in the Roosters' pre-season to get in touch with him.
"There's definitely players out there who are up to playing VFL.
"Some have never been asked, some don't want to."
Greig said he would urge players with a desire to play at the highest possible level to consider it.
Greig is still to finalise his coaching panel. He said some positions had been confirmed he was keeping all options as to what its final structure might be.