The Goulburn Dirty Reds’ coaching line up for the 2024 season has been finalised, with a group of familiar faces returning with the clipboard.

Goulburn’s First Grade and Women’s teams will be out to go one better in 2024, with both sides falling at the final hurdle this year. Second Grade will be looking to improve on the 2023 season, when inconsistency cost them a number of games.

John Maxwell is returning as First Grade coach, following his inaugural season with the club in 2023. Maxwell, an outside back who played more than 140 First Grade games for the Scone Brumbies in the Central North competition, including stints as captain/coach, took Goulburn all the way to the grand final in his first year with the club.

Ashley Mewburn, who is fast becoming one of Australian rugby’s coaches to watch, is also returning for another season in charge of the Dirty Reds Women. The inaugural Australian U18s Schoolgirls 7s coach has just returned from collecting another piece of silverware at the Global Youth Sevens, and is confident of a big season ahead for Goulburn in the Women’s 10s competition.

Joining Maxwell as First Grade assistant coach is Boyd Newby. Newby, who last year was inducted as a life member of Goulburn Rugby, played 261 games for the club, recording 102 victories from 135 games as First Grade captain – for an incredible win rate of 75.56 per cent. The former Brumbies Provincial captain is a set piece specialist, and will bring a wealth of knowledge to the Goulburn pack.

Rounding out the coaching appointments for 2024 is Second Grade coach, former Monaro representative front rower Corbie Yeo, who joined the Reds back in 2019. Learning his trade with the Orange Emus as a youngster, Yeo won a premiership with the Reds in 2020. Yeo stepped into the breach last year as Second Grade coach, and is keen to see the side return to finals rugby.

The Reds will gather at Poidevin Oval from Tuesday 9 January for preseason fitness.

Keep an eye on the Goulburn Rugby socials (@GoulburnRugby) for more news on upcoming events, or check out www.goulburnrugbyunion.com.