Former Manly Marlins coach Damien Cummins said he is still coming to terms with the fact he’ll head north and join arch rivals Warringah as an assistant coach next season.

Cummins has called Manly Oval home for the last 26 years and coached the first grade side in 2015 and 2016 but was overlooked for the role for next season, despite leading Manly to their first grand final in 17 years last year.

Former Manly and Waratahs assistant coach Brian Melrose has been appointed head coach.

“At the end of the day, Manly needs to make the right decision for the club and they went with Brian (Melrose) and good luck to them. I suppose I am a little disappointed that we didn’t get an opportunity to have another year after we got them to a grand final last year,” Cummins told Rugby News.

“This year wasn’t so successful but there were reasons for that and we all agreed that those areas were easily fixed, so that was disappointing.”

Manly took close to two months to appoint Melrose as coach, leaving Cummins with few options for 2017.

“The Manly selection took a lot longer than we hoped so by that stage, a lot of the other coaching opportunities were gone. I went up and met DC (new Warringah coach Darren Coleman) and he asked if I needed some time to think about it but I said yes on the spot.

“I never thought I’d be doing it, considering the rivalry that Manly and Warringah have but I want to keep coaching and this was an opportunity to do that.”

Cummins said he wouldn’t directly attempt to poach Manly players but the former prop hinted the Rats might have some new recruits next season.

“I’m not going to personally be calling players to try and get them to Warringah. I don’t think players should change clubs for the wrong reasons. If you are unhappy at a club or think there is a better opportunity at another club, then fine, but don’t just leave for the sake of leaving.

“If players do follow, I’m not going to tell them not to, but it is there decision at the end of the day.”

Warringah were beaten by Sydney Uni in this year’s preliminary final but have arguably one of the most talented rosters in the Shute Shield and will head into the 2017 season as one of the competition favourites with Cummins and Coleman at the helm.

“They had a really good year this year so hopefully we can build on that. There might be a few new players coming to the club, so it should be good,” Cummins said.

“I don’t think we’ll change much, hopefully we can just add to what they are already doing. Guys like the Holmes’, Hamish Angus, Dave Feltscheer, they have been the backbone of that team for quite a few years now and I think there is a really good opportunity to get to a grand final.”

After playing more than 250 games for the Marlins, Cummins said he wasn’t sure what to expect when he returns to Manly Oval in Rats gear next season.

“It’s going to be interesting. You could probably do an article on all the bad things I’ve said about the Rats over the last 20 years and now I’ll be coaching them but that’s footy,” he joked.

“I’m sure there will be some friendly banter but I’m looking forward to it.”