Happy with their pre-season but wary of making predictions about how the Blues will go in the 2017 TSL season, Lonergan said it will depend on how quickly his playing group adapted to his game plan.

“The pre-season has been really positive and we've had good numbers on the track three nights a week, trying to get them to understand how we want to play and what we want to do throughout 2017,” he said.

“I'm very happy to be back involved in footy here and it's been a long four years –  the last 10 months was even tougher so it is great to be back involved with the club that I started with and a club that has supported me through the last 12 months.

“I owe them a fair bit and just want to get back out there and have a really good year with them.”

The Blues have lost Joe Groenewegen with Michael Musicka on the long-term injury list – but have gained Rulla Kelly-Mansell and Ben Killalea from Deloraine, Matt Hutchinson from Lindisfarne and Hugh Williams from the Oven-Murray League.

Nathan O'Donoghue and Joe Boyce return with Hobart City Development League player Joseph Bangura moving to Launceston and Grant and Gareth Holt joining from Prospect Hawks.

Lonergan was more focused on the club moving forwards and upwards under his watch rather than predicting a finishing position.

“I am not going to put a number on it - I've had that question a few times from local people - for me it is not about putting in position a place or expectation of finals.

“It is more about the fact of where we've come from which is second last on the ladder and now making sure that we as a football club and playing group know the direction we are heading in.

“That's certainly progressing upwards and forwards but we have to make sure we can extend that out for a six month block and a longer eight and ten and 12 and keep going as a football club.

“We're definitely on the way up but in terms of where that is - that is the unknown at this stage.”

The club has retained a core of experienced players with a good crop of young and exciting kids coming through the club.

“I think we need to let those players blossom into their natural selves and as footy club it is our job to mould and guide but not to control what they are going to be,” he said.

“So for the next 12 months we will mould and guide those youthful players and see where it ends up in 12 months time and hopefully they have developed as players.”

He was happy with his team’s form in practice matches against NTFA clubs Longford and Bracknell and TSL opposition Devonport.

“The hit-out against Devonport was really good - both sides were trying a few different things and it was a bit of cat and mouse which is what you expect when two TSL sides play against each other especially when me and Mitch know each other very well.

"We went out with some key focuses and we got to tick those boxes when we got back into the changerooms so the more we do that the score will take care of itself.

”Chris Hills did a fantastic job but for me last season but is about getting back to basics and making sure we don't move too fast too quickly with game plans and things like that and just make sure we tick the boxes in terms of certain ways we want to move the ball and defend and be a bit more calculated in attack.

"I think there will certainly be changes but again when you are changing any program there is a window of time for it to change and to actually see the reward out the other side of it.

"I think they are doing really well and I've thrown a fair bit of information at them which they probably haven't seen before including an in-season training program based on recovery.

"I think they will adapt to that very well and probably enjoy their footy a bit more  - if you can get them wanting to be here it is half the battle.”

2016 skipper Sam Rundle has moved to Hobart but will travel up to play and continue in the role with a leadership group of Chris Savage, Jay Blackberry, Rundle, Kelly-Mansell, Cam Downie and Hamish Leedham. Nathan Warren, who coached the Blues DL side last year, will step up as bench coach with Darrin Geard and Garry Streets assisting Lonergan.

Lonergan said he had been concentrating on their own preparations rather than opposition clubs.

“We just need to get our footy club and group right and the things we want to do in place so for us it is not a lack of respect for the opposition but more where we are at as a group.

“We want to make sure we are walking off the ground knowing we are going in the right direction and ticking those three or four boxes we put up on the whiteboard and progressing to a successful end point.”

Contracted for three years, he said the Blues rate of progress would be determined by the players.

“When you step into a footy club and they are at the bottom there is always a process and progression plan you put in place over a couple of years but it comes down to how much the players adapt to it and if they adapt really quickly then things can happen fast.”