George Ndaira will be one of several key players from the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs’ grand final campaign not playing for the club next season.

Ndaira has picked up an assistant coach role with the Newcastle Knights NSW Cup squad and will not take the field in 2014 while fellow former NRL players Reegan Tanner and Jesse Royal announced their retirements after the Bulldogs’ 21-8 grand final loss to Western Suburbs in September. 

This news has been compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the return of star playmaker Mark Khierallah from France next year and former Kurri junior Terence Seu Seu going to Maitland after leaving the Cessnock captain-coach position last month.

However, incoming Bulldogs coach Phil Williams said while the halves and hooker roles had been identified as a priority the remainder of the Kurri Kurri crew, including electrifying fullback Nathan Ross, Newcastle representative Ben Wyborn and former Bradford Bulls half Ben Jeffries, had either re-signed or agreed to terms.

“We’re out and about looking for one [five-eighth or hooker],” Williams said.

“We probably need one or two players there but in saying that I’m quite confident with what we’ve got.

“Most of the guys from the lower grades have re-signed and the reserve graders will be much better for making the semis last season.

“There are quite a few good kids coming through and the guys that have been there need to step up now.” 

On the plus side the Bulldogs have scored Knights under 20s player and former Maitland junior representative Lachlan Shipard for next year along with Scone forward Dane Thorogood.

Both have been coached by Williams previously in the Knights junior ranks.

Shipard and Thorogood will be joined by two other new recruits in Lakes United front-rower Hayden James and Brendan Worth from Coalfields rivals Cessnock.

Pre-season training began last week and Williams was happy with the turnout, saying more than 50 were on deck for the first session.

The Bulldogs will meet twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday evenings, for a fortnight before having a month off during the New Year period.

They will begin back on January 14.

On the coaching front the Bulldogs have appointed Tony Hindmarsh to take charge of reserve grade next season.

Hindmarsh, a front-rower, played alongside Williams, a hooker, in the Bulldogs premiership three-peat between 1993 and 1995.

Hindmarsh replaces Steve Kidd, who has taken up the vacant first grade spot at Cessnock.