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Jeffery said the representative program had benefited from a streamlined preparation period and strong player interest from across the region.<\/p>\n
“We told the clubs we wanted a short, sharp six-week preparation and we had 47 players come through the door this year,” he said.<\/p>\n
“That makes a big difference in who you can take and you have to have some hard conversations along the way.”<\/p>\n
Preparations for the 2027 campaign will begin in September, with an initial 50-man squad to be announced during the Far North Coast senior grand finals.<\/p>\n
Jeffery, who has now guided Far North Coast to two Richardson Shield titles, said the side could compete strongly at the highest level of country rugby.<\/p>\n
He will retain the current coaching staff, including former Wallaby Matt Gibbon as forwards coach.<\/p>\n
“You have to give blokes a reason to play representative rugby and offer them something more than they get at club level,” Jeffery said.<\/p>\n
“That means we really needed to sharpen the pencil as coaches and put a level of trust in the team, which these guys have all repaid based on what we saw this year.<\/p>\n
“We have a lot of red-hot players in this zone and we’re probably doing better than people think when you look at some of the talent out there.”<\/p>\n
Far North Coast’s representative program also includes a women’s side, with participation numbers continuing to grow each season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FAR North Coast has set a goal to bring home the top prize in NSW Country rugby union after winning the Richardson Shield during its 2026 representative campaign. The Dolphins secured the second-tier title with a 41-29 win in the final over Central North and hope to win the prestigious Caldwell Cup in Tamworth next […]<\/p>\n