SPOTSWOOD premiership coach Matt Dean has been appointed coach of the Western Region Football League’s Under-19 Interleague team.
Dean, who has led Spotswood to consecutive Under-18 flags over the past two seasons will be joined by assistants, WRFL veteran Gary Turner, Hoppers Crossing Under-19 coach Alan Williams and Yarraville Seddon’s Under-19 coach Greg Wray.
The WRFL will take on the Red Onion Ballarat FNL on March 21 at Whitten Oval as part of the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships.
Dean (pictured, second from the left) said he was looking forward to working with the league’s most exciting young talent.
“It is a great chance for me to work with some of the players I have admired over the past couple of years,” he said.
“I am very competitive and so are the boys helping me, so we do want to win and we want to give the boys every chance possible to win.”
Dean, who has taken a year off coaching in 2016, will now cast his eyes over the entire competition to find the best team to take on Ballarat.
“This game gives opportunities to the players that have missed out on the Western Jets and higher level teams,” he said.
“These players will get to showcase their talents and maybe get noticed by the local VFL clubs.”
Meanwhile, WRFL chairman of selectors Steve Thom says preparations surrounding the senior team have stepped up.
Senior coach Anthony Eames and assistant Brett Jacobs have been attending practice matches over the past few weeks with the hope of announcing a squad of 50 players soon.
“We are very excited about the playing group we will assemble,” Thom said.
“There are about six to eight former AFL and VFL players new to the competition this year that we believe will be proud to represent the WRFL in the Interleague game.”
Thom said the senior coaching panel and the newly announced Under-19 coaching team would work closely in the lead-up to the Interleague match on May 21.
Last Modified on 10/03/2016 14:41