Putting the past two years behind us, 2022 offers a fresh start and new opportunity for all teams across the EDFL senior men’s competitions.
We spoke with five newly appointed senior men’s coaches, to gauge their feelings ahead of Round One.
ADAM MARCON
After a decorated reign as senior coach, Adam Potter announced that he would be stepping away from the senior coaching role at Aberfeldie ahead of the 2022 season.
Thus, bringing an end to the most successful period in the club’s history, birthing five Premier Division Grand Final appearances and three Premier Division Premierships.
Looking to build and continue with the success Potter has instilled on the group, Aberfeldie have laned ex-VFL stalwart Adam Marcon as a playing coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Having prior coaching experience as a midfield assistant and first 18 at PEGS, Marcon is ready for the challenges ahead juggling his multiple roles.
“I think it’s going to be a learning curve,” Marcon said.
“Leaning on them [assistant coaches] watching from the sidelines and my role being more of that on field leadership during the game.”
Finishing third on the ladder during the interrupted 2021 season, Marcon holds aspirations to challenge for the flag, whilst also blooding youth through their system.
“We are looking forward to probably playing a few more of those younger guys than we have in the past,” he said.
“We would love to be thereabouts come the pointy end of the season.”
Aberfeldie’s first challenge for the year comes at home against Maribyrnong Park, a win proving vital to their campaign.
TIM BONGETTI
New horizons beckon for the Cougars from East Keilor, a return to the Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division for 2022, accompanied by the announcement that co-captain Tim Bongetti would take over as player-coach for the upcoming season.
Tackling his first pre-season as head coach, Bongetti has worked to ensure the communication lines are cohesive and understood by all.
“That’s been a big focus over the pre-season,
“Making sure we are all on the same page, and that is reiterated through them [assistant coaches],” Bongetti said.
Returning to the Premier Division for the first time in over 10 years, Bongetti believes the club are “very excited” by the challenges this will bring.
“Going back up to Premier, that is exactly where East Keilor want to be,
“We have brought some of the past players back to the club to talk about how much it means to be back there,” he said.
While priding themselves on being a very “professional” club, Bongetti also outlined changes that have been implemented to accommodate the rise.
“We have put in a recovery centre at the footy club,
“If we are stepping up on the field, we also want to make sure we are stepping up off the field,” Bongetti said.
Noting the usual trend of clubs bouncing between Premier Division and Division One, Bongetti hopes that all the trackwork they are putting in will help to ensure East Keilor remain a mainstay in the top competition.
JUSTIN SHERMAN
After a disappointing 2021 campaign seeing the club relegated back to Strathmore Community Bank Division One, Craigieburn have hired former AFL player, and experienced coach Justin Sherman to lead their ranks for the upcoming season.
Sherman arrives at the Eagles with a wealth of experience behind him, having played AFL for both the Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs, as well as holding various coaching roles, with the most recent being an assistant for the Northern Knights in the NAB League.
Leaning on his experience at the Northern Knights, Sherman believes he is ready and excited for the opportunity to be “back in the hot seat” every week.
“I think being around great coaches at a high level, just gives you a really good outlook of what you need to bring when you coach your own side,” Sherman said.
Mentoring, guiding and teaching, are all points that Sherman will lead into heavily this season, focusing on the “strong young talent” he sees Craigieburn having.
“All the coaches have been putting a heavy emphasis on player development,” he said.
“We’ve got some really good kids coming through, we want them playing senior footy.”
“I made that my priority from the start.”
Craigieburn’s season kicks off with a trip to Shore Reserve, against West Coburg.
IAN DENNY
Stepping back into the shoes of senior coach, club legend Ian Denny was coaxed out of what he describes as his “coaching retirement” to help guide Moonee Valley ahead of the 2022 season.
Looking to build “stability” around the club, Denny sees his role as vital to help continue to guide Moonee Valley in a positive direction moving forward.
“I think continuity is everything,” Denny said.
“I will just be doing what is best for the club and the playing group.”
Coinciding with his return, Moonee Valley will be lacing up in Strathmore Community Bank Division One, after promotion from the interrupted 2021 season.
Denny sees this promotion as the perfect opportunity for his “young” group, gaining valuable experience against higher quality opposition.
While Denny was a late appointment to the senior coaching role, he has wasted no time in implementing his values and game-style vision.
“I do have a [particular] style,” he said.
“It’s a running game, I think we’ve got the youth to support that.”
“We’ll work on that, and [hopefully] stretch the opposition when we have the ball in hand.”
A visit from Westmeadows faces Moonee Valley first up, with Denny hoping his run and gun gameplay can deliver the willing result.
TAMER ABDALLAH
Having the “dream” to coach Northern Saints for the past five years, Abdallah has used this time to build both his experience and CV up to a level he believed to be ready to take over the coaching role.
After coaching experience with Westbourne in the VAFA and as a head coach of Northern Saints Under 16 side in 2021, Abdallah has this year stepped up into the role of player-coach for the senior men’s side.
“I had to go outside [Northern Saints] to see what it is like, how other clubs run, to make sure when I did take over, I’d know what I was doing,” Abdallah said.
Plying their craft in Strathmore Community Bank Division Two, Abdallah sees this year as the perfect opportunity to instil values and help lead the club onto a successful path going forward.
“I am all about respect,” he said.
“I’m focusing on how good the club can be in two to three years’ time.”
Abdallah sees respect as being a key to the resurgence and development of the Saints as a whole, believing that success will come once the core values are instilled and applied.
This respect Abdallah talks about can only lead to positive outcomes for the club and wider EDFL community, where he hopes to transform the image and perception of the Northern Saints.
