By MARK CASHMAN

Making a living as a coaching professional in today’s rugby world can be hard yakka both physically and emotionally. 

There is the pressure that winning and losing brings, managing the many personalities that our game attracts and of course the time away from home and family.

What’s that old truism about the two sorts of coaches? Those that have been sacked and the ones that are waiting to be moved on.

It all takes a toll and after almost a decade on the professional coaching merry-go-round 35 Test Wallaby Nathan Grey was all ears when Manly Marlins president Matt Curll rang with an interesting proposal late last year.

Come home and add to the good things we’re doing at the Village Green as Director of Rugby and see where things go, was the gist of the conversation.

Grey had been head coach of the Australian Under 20s side from 2020 through to 2023 – through the COVID seasons – and then spent some time off shore in Japan with Suntory and felt it was time to come home.

His role at the Marlins will see him helping out with the top squad and keeping the coaching at the cutting edge, while making sure that the culture and connection to community is where it needs to be.

Naturally recruitment is also part of the role but it’s being done keeping in mind what’s already in the corral at Keirl Park.

“What’s been so refreshing though in my time on the ground has been seeing a genuine love of the game that you get at this level,” Grey told Rugby News.

“First grade through to fourth grade train together at the moment so you’ve got a mix of footy players there from aspirational right through to guys who want to play a good level of rugby with their mates.

“They’re all getting stuck in and enjoying doing the hard work. It’s great to be a part of.

“That stuff sometimes gets lost at the professional level and from a coaching point of view it’s up to us to make it skill based and interesting.”

The Marlins have pulled together a handy coaching roster for 2026 with Sam Lane, one season wiser, guiding the Shute Shield team with the help of Harry Fehily in defence (back from a stint at Gordon) and Craig Roberts coming over from the Warringah colts system.

Set piece is in the capable hands of James ‘Cecil’ Hilterbrand and Tim Fairbrother who is back living in the area after time in New Zealand.

Player recruitment has also been ticking over with props Fereti Sa’aga (former Melbourne Rebels) and Fred Kaihea (ACT Brumbies) training, while Niko Lautui, a No.8 from Poverty Bay, will provide some sting with and without the ball.

Former Australian Under 20s scrum half Billy Dickins has come across from the Beasties looking for game time, while there a big hopes for Oakley Pearce, a 13 who has been in the Western Force system.

Closer to home the names Dally Bird, Joe Dillon, Tom Douglas, Simon Kennelwell and Ben DeStaso will be familiar to the Marlin faithful.

For a variety of reasons the Marlins started the 2025 Shute Shield season with a 0-7 record but warmed into their work at the back end of the year.

“We’re not going to reinvent the wheel in a rugby sense but basically we want to win the ball and use it well,” Grey added.

“That comes from good set piece, aggressive defence and making sure that our counter attack is dangerous from anywhere on the field, we want to play a brand of attacking rugby that’s fun to watch and enjoyable to play”.