For the Magpies committee, it was what they'd wanted from the get-go, but it took the veteran of 122 NRL and Super League games a little longer to figure out he was the right man for the job.

So much so, the Nowra resident knocked back the gig when first approached by Magpies president Joe Rodgers. What he did offer, was a promise to dig into his contact list to find the right candidate.

He took the long way around, but he found it in the end; right back where he started.

"I didn't really see myself in that kind of role," Allgood said.

"I love working with people and rugby league players, but I sort of saw myself in those mentoring type, one-on-one relationships.

"When Joe approached me it wasn't on my radar, but I got so invested in trying to find the right person for that role for the club.

"Through doing that I met all the great people in the place. I was searching and calling people I knew, coaches, and I got so invested in the role I started to think 'maybe this is for me'.

"It's all happened by chance. I met Joe by chance and next minute he was talking me into coaching this season. I've given it a crack and I'm really enjoying it so far."

The 32-year-old is the type of candidate the perennial battlers could not have dreamed of when they re-convened to get the ball rolling on 2022.

It followed a morale-sapping two years amid the COVID pandemic that bit hard enough to see the club drop out of the first grade competition last year.

Hauling them back up isn't a task all potential coaches would relish, but it was part of the attraction for Allgood.

"I think we've all learned over the last couple of years that it's not until you lose something that you realise the importance of it, and the value of it," Allgood said.

"Speaking to everyone involved in the club, it was only when they didn't field a first grade side last year that they realised how much it matters and how big a part of their life this club is.

"There's good people involved who genuinely care and that's the foundation for success. It's not just a box-ticking thing for me where I'm going through the motions.

"I'm very invested in this and if I can help the club take those first steps back to being successful, that's huge for me. If we do the right thing and recruit the right people, there's no reason we can't make the club successful in first grade."

READ MORE:

Allgood's coaching pedigree has helped in that regard, with the club banking on youth with the sprinkling of experience to make its return season a success.

"There's a lot of young guys, 20-21, who are coming through the ranks and hitting that age of maturity," Allgood said.

"They'll be huge for us this year and the development of those players will be vital for our season.

"We've brought a couple in and we're hoping to pick a few more up over the next few weeks, but I'm really happy with who we have and the way they've turned up and put the work in through preseason."

It all begs the obvious question - is there any chance the boots come down off the shelf?

"That question gets asked every night at training," he said.

"At this stage I'm just coaching. The reason I'm not intending to play is that I've had a few concussions throughout my career and I want to treat that with the respect it deserves.

"We had a trial on the weekend and I was in the sheds before the game and I thought 'wow, I miss that feeling' right before they ran out onto the field.

"I will touch base with a specialist again. I can feel myself being tempted to but I need to make sure it's the right thing to be doing before I consider it."

The Magpies will field five senior sides in 2022, something unthinkable at the end of last season according to Rodgers.

"We weren't quite sure where we were going to end up this year, whether it was going to be the same as last year or worse," he said.

"Our thinking this year was first grade no matter what and at all costs. We put a lot of work in and we came across Mitch more by chance than anything else.

"He's been massive for us. Just by being a high-profile player he could get the guys who were 50-50 over the line because they can come and play for a guy that's played a lot of high level footy.

"We're very happy with what he's done so far."

The Magpies return will see 10 teams contest the 2022 Group Seven premiership that was officially launched at Kiama Leagues Club on Friday night.

Football operations manager Ashton Sims, himself a Group Seven product, said it was important for all clubs to celebrate the game's return after two years plagued by COVID disruptions.

"It's no secret rugby league is the heartbeat of winter sport on the South Coast and we just want to ensure that we continue that by investing back into Group Seven," Sims said.

"I can't commend all the players enough for returning after two years of interrupted rugby league. We've got 10 sides in first and reserve grades, seven third grade sides and 16 ladies league tag sides.

"It shows that heart still beats strong here on the South Coast, people want to play and want to be involved in the game. That's a testament to the dedication and hard work that's been put in before I took up my post.

"We've got a really great board in both seniors and juniors and I'll just be working with them to focus on the growth and sustainability of rugby league here, but also the viability of each individual club."

The season is due to start on April 2 but will be pushed back a week should the Illawarra South Coast Dragons get past Monaro in Saturday's Country Championships semi-final.

A victory will earn a place in the grand final and see the Group Seven season pushed back a week.

"At the moment that will be predicated on the result of this weekend's result with the Illawarra South Coast Dragons," Sims said.

"That's really a thank you to those clubs who made their players available. It wouldn't be fair to start the season without those players who've made themselves available for representative honours.

"It takes some flexibility but those are the decisions we'll always take in the best interests of the competition and the game."

Sign up for breaking news emails below ...