Shellharbour Suns hoping to rise to next level in 2023 AFL South Coast competition

Only percentage separated the Suns and fourth-placed Northern Districts in last year's Men's Premier Division, extending Shellharbour's finals drought - the side last making an appearance in 2017.

But the Myimbarr Oval club have a new head coach, Dan Posch, and have recruited some exciting talent as they aim to take that next step.

Posch, who played for the Suns last season, takes the reins from previous mentor Craig Morrison.

Read more: Northern Districts ready for next South Coast chapter

"Dan made a massive impression with us last year, and we didn't even go outside to look for a coach. He was a natural fit as far as we were concerned," Suns president Steve Ashworth said.

"He's a very good player, but also a very good communicator. He's a very driven individual that we believe will improve our performance, so we're looking forward to seeing what Dan can do."

Shellharbour have lost two key midfielders in Fraser Kelly and Jarrod Coomby, but have gained depth in other areas.

Heading that list is Bomaderry junior Fergus Priest and former Canberra player Ned Kersten, while Shellharbour's under-17s premiership-winning captain Brendan Cooper is expected to play more senior football.

Read more: Dos Santos sisters gunning for Sydney FC glory

While it's an exciting time for the club, Ashworth said the key word for the Suns in 2023 was "defence".

"I think our defence should be stronger, but it's our two-way running that's let's us down in the past couple of years," he said.

"We need a midfield that helps out our defence to stem the tide of scoring. A lot of the time, one goal has turned into three or four quick goals, because the better teams get a run on against you.

"I think we've got a really good forward line, but you obviously need the ball coming down there. So that's the challenge, our high half-forwards will have to work hard back in defence and our wings will need to play more of a defensive role."

The Suns will kick off their 2023 campaign against the Wollongong Bulldogs on Saturday at Myimbarr Oval.

Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.