The other is widely regarded as a natural born athlete who leads from the front. Together they are hoping to keep the Dirty Reds’ hunger for success alive and well in 2015.

Dirty Reds stalwarts Boyd Newby and Mik Webber have taken up senior coaching duties after grand-final winning coach Darren Solomons stepped down due to work commitments.

The pair are hoping their on-field determination and ambition will translate off the field.

Having already a large influence on the senior squad, the pair decided to put their case in after Solomon’s decision step away from the position.

“It was the easiest option, and one with the least amount of disruption,” Webber told the Post.

“If we had gotten a new coach from somewhere else we would have gone through all new stuff again. Boyd and I always knew that we wanted to do this one day, so we took the opportunity.”

The pair have been given a seal of approval from Solomons who believes each brings their own attributes.

“Boyd is a student of the game,” he said.

“He studies the game and asks the questions of why and how, he’s very good like that, it’s almost like a mechanic working on his car in that respect.

“Mik is the sort of guy who leads by performance. He’s the first guy to a break down, and he’ll make that big play when required.

“Between the two of them it’s a very good balance.”

The rugby duo are used to working in tandem. They co-coached the Dirty Reds under- 14s side last season, and both have been major influences at the club with Newby being the forwards coach in recent years.

For Newby it’s another chapter in his long career with Goulburn Rugby.

“I’ve always had an interest in coaching and I guess it was the plan to eventually get involved with the seniors down the track,” he said.

“Mik and I, we work together really well. We’ve basically grown up together with our rugby, starting at the same time, played all our rep football together.

“We have the same influences, our ideas don’t clash and we have the same ambition

“We’re on the same page most of the time.”

Jordan Wilcox, who was also a club cocaptain and premiership winning player last season, will take a hands on role with coaching after surgery on a wrist injury looks set to sideline him for the majority of the upcoming season.

“Obviously it can be tough in a captain coach position,” Newby said.

“So Jordo will run a lot of the drills at training and oversee things.

“Game day we’ll have people work the sidelines, it’s a totally different perspective and we really value their opinion.”

Newby says the core of the premiership winning side has remained intact with a number of new players training with the group since pre-season started a few weeks ago.

He says the main focus is to maintain the successful playing group.

“We have a great team and we want to keep progressing forward,” Newby said.