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SYDNEY - Brad Fittler says he's confident the Sydney Roosters can be a premiership force in his first full season as a National Rugby League coach next year.
Fittler was yesterday confirmed as the Roosters' head coach for the next two years.
Former teammate Adrian Lam and current
assistant Paul Young join him as assistant coaches.
Former premiership captain Fittler believed the Roosters have the depth and talent to be in the final hunt next season.
"I cannot see why not," he said when asked if the Roosters could be contenders.
"I can see we've got a good roster and we also have Mark O'Meley coming in."
But Fittler knows next season will be tougher than his charmed six-week initiation as a caretaker.
He has led the tri-colours to four wins, one draw and one loss since taking over from Chris Anderson.
He remains optimistic that the club can creep into this year's finals, but says his biggest test will come next year.
"I can see it's going to be a lot tougher next year," he said.
"We have not lost four in a row yet, and coaches always say that's your biggest challenge.
"That's when you see if you really like coaching."
Lam, who last played in the halves alongside Fittler in the Roosters' 2000 grand final loss, turned down a head coaching position with North Queensland's feeder club to return to the Roosters.
The current Papua New Guinea coach was to lead a Queensland Cup side next year but has come home to help Fittler and become the Roosters national under-20s head coach.
"It was something I weighed up for quiet a while," said Lam.
"If it have had been any other club I would have said no."
* South Sydney backrower Dean Widders is facing a two-match suspension on a grapple tackle charge that threatens to take the gloss off the club's surge into the top eight.
Widders was yesterday charged with grade two contrary conduct over a tackle on Jamie Lyon during the Rabbitohs' shock 24-18 win over second-placed Manly.
The win put South Sydney into the top eight and within reach of their first finals appearance since 1989.
But they can ill afford to lose the influential Widders for the final two regular season matches - away to Wests Tigers and home to the Sydney Roosters.
Widders becomes the third player charged for a suspected grapple tackle from round 23 matches after controversy last week.
- AAP