The former Belconnen United Scholars head coach has agreed to a one-year deal with the Magpies, with a two-year option.

There will be pressure on Hawke to spearhead the club's resurgence after the Magpies left the Raiders Cup two years ago, but he insists he's motivated by the challenge.

"That's what my decision was based on, the chance to help build the future of this club so it can be sustainable right through," Hawke told the Tribune.

"The focus will be on developing the talent that is already here because the town wants to support their own."

Providing a good culture is also something that he prides himself on.

"Probably that's the main thing about getting that family culture of being one team instead of three teams and having this place full on a Saturday afternoon,

"The one team town mentality is something that really appeals to me and we'll be working to get the town right behind us."

Hawke heard about the job vacancy through Scholars captain-coach and Yass local Matt Britt, who thought he would be the perfect fit for the club.

"I rang 'Spider' (president Greg Smith) to see what Yass were doing, to see if they were staying in George Tooke or going up. We sort of talked about me coaching, but I just wanted to play,” Britt explained.

“I talk to 'Hawkey' every day so I knew that he wanted to coach again and he was pretty keen straight away when I put it to him.

"I think he's the only man who can do it, without pissing in his pocket. I lived with him for three years and played under him for three years and he brought that club back from George Tooke and they lost a grand final and won one and were really successful in the time he was there."

In a major coup for the Magpies, Britt will return to Walker Park for the 2015 season, leaving Belconnen to team up with his old coach.

"I wasn't unhappy where I was, I had a tough year over in Canberra coaching and the whole club had a tough year but it wasn't because of that, it was mainly because I always wanted to come home eventually and I thought now was the right time to do it."

Also on the coaching staff for next year is former Canberra Raider Matt Gaffa, who has been enlisted as assistant coach for the first-grade side.

Both Hawke and Britt were tight lipped about the recruitment of players but the general theme was that they will bring a few hardened first-graders, who will buy into the culture, and the rest of the team will be made up of home grown talent.

One thing they both stressed was that the Magpies would be competitive from the outset.

President of the Yass Magpies Greg Smith is excited about the future of the club.

"Hawkey and Britty aren't leading Yass into the Raiders Cup to be punching bags, they're both competitive blokes and they'll have high expectations for the club," he said.

"Hawkey comes with a reputation as a tough coach but one that players will take pay cuts to play under."

Smith explained that the Magpies will be without the abundance of riches of other first-grade clubs but neither he nor the newly appointed coach is perturbed.

"I'm not concerned put it that way," Hawke said.

"I'd rather coach players who are there for the right reasons than guys just chasing the big money.

"At the end of the day it is about the community, I'll be after guys that want to go to functions around town, support the junior sides and really get behind the club. It's all about building that family culture."

The club is still taking applications for coaching positions in the under 18s and Reserves. Phone Greg Smith on 0404 909 160.