THE BLACK and Whites have made their first moves in the Group 20 transfer market after being stung by the loss of Leeton-bound forward Chris Latu last week.

In response, the club has re-signed boom youngsters Gospel Turu and Stephen Broome and brought in three eye-catching imports from New Zealand headed by former Canterbury-Bankstown under-20s star Jeco Makatoa.

The first cousin of dual code international Sonny Bill Williams, Makatoa has penned a two-year deal and will slot straight into the vacancy left in the forward pack by Latu.

The other two fresh faces are both NZ Maori Residents representatives bustling centre Mitchell Marsh and front-row destroyer Peter Rata. While the search for a new first-grade coach is still on, president Steve Parr believes the new recruits give the Black and Whites reason to be optimistic following a dismal 2012 season.

Parr said the club was locked in talks with a high-profile coaching candidate, but was tight-lipped on his identity, with a decision likely to be made in the next few weeks.

"For us, the coach is not a big issue at the moment. We've got to make sure we get the right man for the job," he said.

"We need a strong leader who can show the boys what's going on and we don't want to rush it. Things are progressing well on that front.

"But we're not sitting on our hands these three boys we've brought in are quality.

"We wanted to bring in these guys who've played at a higher level, just to show our guys the way they should be playing footy.

"And it was a must we keep these local boys on our books because both are really promising players."

Makatoa and his young family will move to Griffith in the new year after spending this season playing across the ditch.

"He got mucked around a bit at the Bulldogs, went back to play in New Zealand but is now looking for something stable in his life,” he said.

“We were pretty disappointed to lose Chris but we’ve recovered well with Jeco. We made Chris a good offer and expected him to play again but Leeton must have made him a better one.”

Marsh and Rata will be reunited for the first time since winning the top prize in Waikato rugby league together with the Hamilton City Tigers in 2010.

This year Marsh was playing in Toowoomba while Rata was formerly on the books of NSW Cup side and New Zealand Warriors feeder team, the Auckland Vulcans.

“Peter is a real tough character who won’t take a backward step,” Parr said.

Meanwhile, Black and Whites junior graduates Toru and Broome will be handed greater responsibility in 2013 as their transition to full-time first-grade football kicks into gear.

“Stephen was one of our better players last year and Gospel made a handful of appearances off the bench for the senior team. They’re both ready to take the step up,” Parr said.