Ringland’s been a steadfast fixture at Endeavour Oval in the last half-decade, and before that too, helping the greens rise from the competition’s doldrums to where they are now.

Since beginning as one of Andrew Logan’s assistants in 2014 before taking the top job the year after, the greens have never failed to qualify for a grand final.

Saturday’s decider will be the fifth in a row he’s helped lead them too, and the second on the trot with Jeremy Wallace as his co-head coach.

It’s a pretty handy record, especially when you consider he’s still playing in the lower grades too – he never stopped – and mentors some of Emus’ junior sides too.

His tenure in charge of the top grade comes to an end after Saturday’s grand final though, he and Wallace made it clear at the beginning of the season this would be their last in a full-time capacity.

“I guess it’s pretty emotional really, there’s been a lot of sacrifice and a lot of hours put into the job,” Ringland said.

“You always hope you can reap some reward from it but as anyone who’s been in a team environment knows, as soon as you start thinking about individual achievements it can all go wrong.

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“The focus is still very much on getting the job done as a team, the rest comes after that.

“I think Jez and I, and the coaches before us, have put a pretty good foundation and structures in place, in terms of the level of conditioning and skills we’ve tried to establish.

“Obviously we’d encourage anyone who came in to do their own thing, put their own spin on it, but there is a building block there for them which is what we wanted to put in place.”

Ringland heaped praise on Wallace too, who began as a strength and conditioning coach but has developed into an out-and-out co-coach since.

“We wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything we have without each other, he’s a wonderful man manager and I’m not so great at that stuff so I think we complement each other pretty well,” Ringland said.

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“Jez has come a long way and I hope I’ve been able to teach him some things on the technical side, but he was always an incredible conditioning coach.”

More than anything, Ringland made a point of praising Emus’ players – current and former.

“The effort these players and the ones before them have put in and what they’ve put themselves through, you know, has helped me achieve things I never would’ve been able to as a player,” he said.

“I was never really up to that level, so I’m very lucky to have been able have so many great groups of players and have some success as a coach.”

While Ringland and Wallace’s replacement isn’t expected to confirmed until next year’s pre-season, the greens’ coach said the club do worse than Pete Bromley, who’s coached Emus’ second XV to the grand final too – it’s also that grade’s fifth straight appearance in a big dance.

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“He’s a wonderful coach, I think he’s actually coached within himself a bit so he doesn’t step on any toes, but if he was to take over I know he’d do a great job, and I’m sure the success would continue under him,” Ringland said, Bromley having mentored Knox Old Boys to a number of NSW Suburban Rugby Union titles in the past.

Reflection aside, Ringland and Wallace have also named their side for this weekend’s grand final against Bulldogs, with just one change from the line-up that took the Bathurst side down in the major semi-final a fortnight ago.

TJ Cunynghame has been named to make his return from a knee injury from the bench, although it remains to be seen whether he’ll come back into the starting side or not.

“We’ve got all the confidence in the world in this group, they’ve done the job all year, it’s just a matter of turning up and getting it right on the weekend now,” Ringland said.

“It won’t be easy, and that’s why we’ve had a huge focus on the group. It’s not 15 guys, it’s all the players who have suited up this season.

“We’ve got a really strong second grade side, who’ve obviously made it this far too, but we’d be silly not to draw on them to help us try and get the job done in first grade too.”

Kick-off in Saturday’s top grade grand final is at 3.30pm, at Endeavour Oval.