Frys admits he did not plan on taking on the job at the end of last season, but given the difficult situation the club finds itself in, on the brink of survival, he has given his services for another 12 months.

Frys said he needed a break from football and the last five months, free of recruiting and planning duties, has given him the freshen up he desired.

“I did need a break, but the last five or so months, not thinking about footy at all, has been refreshing,” Frys said.

“We’ve put in so much work there over the last five years.”

Smythesdale will only field a reserves team this season, for the second year in a row, in a bid to stay competitive and stay alive.

The Bulldogs have been getting 15-20 players to training each night, with a number of different faces through the pre-season.

Frys is hopeful that now the club has a coach it can give players a bit more assurance and direction. He said the focus was simple for the club, try and attract as many players to the club as possible and hopefully improve upon last year’s seven-win season.

“I think everyone was a bit unsure what was happening, they hadn’t announced a coach yet, it’s after Christmas and not too many people knew what was happening.

”So hopefully now that there’s a bit of stability there and people know what we’re doing and where we’re heading – hopefully it’ll pick up a bit.

“We’ve got to find that foundation to keep the club alive for starters.”

The 39-year-old said he would only pull on the boots if it was a necessity.