Damien Christensen has been appointed coach of Newtown & Chilwell. Picture: AL PACKER
GFL runner-up Newtown & Chilwell has turned to the vast experience of Damien Christensen in its quest to end what is now a 30-year premiership drought.
Christensen, who had roles under David Wojcinski during his time at Elderslie Reserve, has been appointed coach of the club for the next two years.
The Eagles will be the third GFL club the 51-year-old has coached, having taken both Lara (1992-93) and St Joseph’s (1997) to grand finals.
Christensen, who played 17 games with Geelong during the 1980s, guided a star-studded Geelong Falcons team to the 2000 TAC Cup premiership.
“I came on two years ago when David was appointed to help David learn the craft of coaching,” Christensen said.
“I suppose football is something that’s infectious with me and I got a bit more involved in the group.
“I was working at North Melbourne doing their opposition scouting, so I couldn’t be here a lot because I was interstate a lot.
“But then I stepped away from that because the commitment to that role is significant.
“So (I) came on board with David last year in the coaching department and really helped to build the group and became encouraged by what we saw through their development.”
Christensen, who coached VFL clubs Box Hill and Williamstown, while also playing with the Seagulls and Werribee, believes the time he has already spent at Newtown & Chilwell will help him hit the ground running.
“There’s a lot of things I don’t have to do next year; that is reintroduce a lot of things around the way we play or reintroduce myself, or have players prove themselves or have myself prove myself to the playing group,” he said.
“The relationships have already been formed, we’ve both been through a season where we’ve lost a grand final.
“So myself, the playing group, the committee and the club can move forward and have an understanding of each other.”
Christensen knows the Eagles faithful are keen to see a first premiership since 1986 sooner rather than later, but he is also well aware of the need for sustainability.
“One of the things we tried to do this year was build not for one year but for the future,” he said.
“We played a lot of boys that played in the under-18s (Colts) last year.
“We’re trying to build from the bottom up and build capability in the coaching department as well as in every aspect of the club.
“One of the things I’m trying to do is develop the coaches that will come on board with me and look at succession planning down the track.
“Appointments of coaches in the future can hopefully be developed from within.”