DARREN MONCRIEFF
Wednesday 8 February 2012
LES BAMBLETT is relishing the chance to share coaching duties at Victorian football club Fitzroy Stars this season.
Bamblett will be joined by Travis Hodgson, who came to the club last year as a player and who has several years' coaching experience in the Albury/Wodonga region.
The Stars had an up and down season in the Northern Football League in 2011 and missed out on finals action. The team would push and sometimes defeat the top sides, only to get thumped by the lower sides.
"I did struggle a little bit with the workload, coaching by myself," Bamblett admits.
"Travis will add a different perspective to what we're doing. We have a really good understanding; we invite each other's opinions, views and where we might be able to do things a little differently.
"For example, on game day, I might be wanting to look at the bacckline, Travis the centreline...that's something we've talked about.
"Last year, I kinda let the boys go. They know how to play footy but now we can have something more of a game plan.
"We had a good season last year; we knocked a couple of the top four sides over but we were too inconsistent. We've held our own in this league; we've been just out of the four every year."
As for this season, Bamblett said he would like to add a little to the Fitzroy Stars' playing list.
"We haven't really lost anyone from last year," he said.
"We're maybe short of one centre half-back but we've still got the basis of a good side."
The NFL has a relegation/elevation system whereby the woodern-spooners of Division 1 are relegated to Division 2, and the premiers of Division 2 are elevated to Division 1. This is the Stars' ultimate goal: to advance and remain in the top division.
Since their entry into the NFL (formerly the Diamond Valley Footall League) in 2008, the Stars have achieved some level of success.
Lionel Proctor won the league's fairest and best award in 2008 and in 2009 John Hayes won the league's goalkicking award (89).
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 08/02/2012 12:56