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WHEN Heath Russell agreed to head out to The Rock-Yerong Creek for a kick back in 2018, he had no idea what it would lead to.

After some convincing from assistant coach Tim Sullivan, Russell and his now partner in crime Brad Aiken agreed to head out to the Magpies for a run.

"It was out of chance with Timmy Sullivan. He spoke to Brad and I one night at Giants Academy training," Russell explained.

"It was tongue in cheek and Brad said I'll go if you go and it was one of those sliding door moments where you know what, if I say no then I'd happily be doing other things on a weekend but to say yes and be part of The Rock and the community and all that, it is one of the best decisions I've made."

Russell played 2018 and then had 2019 off due to the impending birth of his third son.

When Aiken took over as coach in 2020, he lured Russell back as assistant coach but the season never eventuated.

With Russell again looking to step away, Aiken convinced Russell to join him as co-coach in 2021.

For some inside the Wagga bubble, Russell's elevation alongside the well-known and even better credentialed Aiken may have come as a surprise. But he entered the role as an highly-rated two-time premiership coach.

Russell, who hails from Narrandera, took on his first coaching job at Goulburn at age 23. He coached the club for five seasons, resulting in two premierships, either side of stints back at home in Narrandera (played in the 2013 premiership) and as under 18s coach at Nelson Bay.

Come 2017, Russell, a school teacher, moved back closer to home for family reasons and found a home at TRYC.

Aiken did not hold back in his praise of Russell and the role he's played in the Magpies' rise to a grand final.

"I'm confident when Heath's coaching," Aiken said.

"He's pretty much coached the last three weeks to be honest. I haven't really done a lot because I've still been trying to play, which is not very smart.

"Heath's done a terrific job and we're in a grand final this week because of Heath and the way he's delivered the messages, the way he's coached and got the boys up.

"I'm just grateful that he's helped me in the last two years and that I've helped him hopefully. It's been terrific."

Russell said the partnership with Aiken has been a success.

"I think we work really, really well together," Russell said.

"We knew each other a little bit but he's become a really good mate of mine and our family.

"Brad's got the respect of the playing group for what he's been able to do but also the way he can deliver messages to the group. I've learnt a lot off Brad, we bounce ideas, we probably talk way too much, our wives will be happy when this week is over.

"I think our partnership has been fantastic. We both do different things at different times and just having someone to bounce ideas off has been very good."

For Russell, a father of four, playing quickly became second fiddle once he discovered his passion for coaching.

"It's one of those things where for me it's the most rewarding thing," he said.

"I've obviously played a fair bit of footy but the enjoyment of coaching grew. I was only young but I started to find that I enjoyed that side of football a lot more and working with a group of guys, trying to all work together to achieve something, whether that's finals or whether that's just improving a group.

"I found that was something really rewarding and that I enjoyed doing."

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