Cooks Hill coach David Tanchevski believes marquee signing Jacob Pepper will have a Jobe Wheelhouse-like influence on his side as they look to make a big first impression on the Northern NSW NPL.
Pepper has joined Cooks Hill - one of the biggest community clubs in the Hunter - for their maiden season in the region's top-flight.
The former Jets, Western Sydney and Brisbane midfielder has returned home after a career spanning 149 games in the A-League and a short recent stint with Indonesian club Madura.
Pepper, 29, was much sought after in the NPL before the newcomers won the race for his signature last month.
Cooks Hill were second in last season's COVID-shortened second-division but they had already gained promotion after satisfying Northern NSW Football mid-year that they met criteria.
Former Lambton Jaffas and Charlestown coach Tanchevski was at the helm last season and he will guide them in their NPL debut.
It was the role he had at Jaffas in 2013 when they joined the first division and made the grand final on debut.
The Jaffas, who claimed their first top-division premiership last year, recruited former Jets skipper Wheelhouse in 2013 and he went on to inspire them to grand final victory in 2014 and again in 2017.
Tanchevski believed Pepper would be equally important for Cooks Hill.
"I'm really impressed with how fit he is," Tanchevski said.
"We did the beep test the other day and most of the guys had dropped out, but he went to 16.
"I don't think I've seen a fitter guy than him in my time in the NPL. He's super fit and he's just a good guy. He's a leader, he's calm, the guys like playing around him and he's quality on the ball.
"It's probably similar to when the Jaffas brought Jobe Wheelhouse in. It just gels everything together for us and gives us that cool head in the midfield. His influence on other people will be important for us."
Cooks Hill have also signed experienced NPL players Riley McNaughton (Jaffas), Kev Davison (Charlestown) and Jon Griffiths (Broadmeadow) as well as former Jets juniors Pat Bond, Adam Sherratt and Sakeel Brown. Liam Spurway (Edgeworth), keeper Lachlan Watson (Maitland) and Jay Kitcher (Broadmeadow) are other additions to a squad already featuring NPL experience in Cody Carroll, Jamie Byrnes, Daniel Yaxley, Tom Smart, Daniel Clements and Lachlan Pasquale.
Cooks Hill start their NPL history against Adamstown on March 6 at No.2 Sportsground.
"If we can fight for a mid-table spot first year in, that will be good and create a stepping stone for next year," Tanchevski said.
"If we finish any higher, that will be a bonus.
"I think we've signed a few decent players, but it's always hard to tell before the season how well players will factor in, and we've got a fairly new squad.
"We'll take time to gel and we haven't had a long pre-season, but if the new guys gel well, we might be able to finish higher."
"The experienced guys will do well for us. They have been there, done that, but how good we go this year will probably be dependent on how these young guys transform into first grade."
