The Cowra Magpies have officially announced Craig Jeffries as their new First Grade coach for the 2026 season, marking the return of a familiar face and experienced leader to the club.

Jeffries, a lifelong Magpie with more than 250 games to his name, said he was both surprised and honoured to take on the role.

“I guess it’s always a surprise when you apply for something and you’re chosen for the job,” he said.

“You always have plans for if you are chosen and I’m far enough through life to know that if you don’t, well, it’s not a big deal.”

Jeffries brings decades of experience to the position, having coached at nearly every level of rugby league in Cowra, from the Under 6s right through to First Grade.

“I coached for many years in the ’90s and through the early 2000s,” he said.

“Then I went away from league for a bit, had a bit of a rest, and played lots of golf.”

“I was approached last year by a couple of parents to coach the Under 12s girls last season and it really flicked the passion for it again.”

Jeffries said his focus for 2026 will be on building on the strong foundations laid by outgoing coach Phil Ingram, while introducing his own style and philosophy to the squad.

“I want to continue to build on what Phil has put in place over the last two years and just put my own spin on it,” he said.

“I have my own philosophies that I’ll embed in there.”

“Ultimately, you want to make the big games at the end of the season, but short term goals will be about forming a solid squad and getting fit.”

A proud Magpie since his junior days, Jeffries said his history with the club gives him a deep understanding of its culture and values.

“I was in the Under 16s in Cowra in 1988 and I played a long portion of my career until I was 38 years old,” he said.

“I’ve coached Under 18s for a combined 10 years, coached First Grade and Reserve Grade, I’ve pretty much coached every grade in Cowra.”

He said his approach to coaching has been shaped by the many mentors he learned from during his playing days.

“I played here under Greg Clements, Lee Kylie, Greg Fernly, Albert Murray and Ian Hindmarsh,” Jeffries said.

“You remember the little things they say and you use it but put your own spin on it.”

“The one consistent pattern they all had was discipline and attention to detail and that’s something I’ve carried into my own coaching.”

Looking ahead to preseason, Jeffries said he plans to ease players back into training sensibly to avoid early burnout.

“It’s going to be a bit of the same-same but different,” he said.

“The boys will enjoy their off season and when we return for 2026, we’ll start knuckling down and getting into serious training.”

“I plan to have some catchups but through experience, I’ve found that training too hard too early, especially in country rugby league, can turn a lot of blokes off by the time the season starts.”

He said it’s important for players to balance football with family and work commitments.

“Players in country footy are working class people and they need that time in the off season to relax and spend time with their families,” Jeffries said.

“When we come back, we’ll have fresh minds and all be on the same page.”

“If you start running blokes in November or December for a comp that doesn’t start until after Easter, you risk burnout.”

“It’s something I want to avoid.”

With his wealth of experience, deep ties to the Magpies and a clear vision for the year ahead, Jeffries’ appointment marks a new chapter for the club.