WEST Gambier has this week announced a new playing coach for the 2018 Western Border football season, with Brad Wilson returning to the club after a two-year break.
Wilson will take on the young Roos’ group, which has been mentored by Steve Wenman for the last two years.
To add to the excitement, Tom Holmes will also return to the club as a player, after spending two years at Tantanoola.
The two announcements have been a long time coming, but club president Brenton James said he was excited about the signings.
“It is probably the most exciting thing we have had at the club for a long time,” he said.
“The growth through the coaching by Steve Wenman has been exceptional – it has been a forced growth for a lot of the juniors coming through and they have set a level of professionalism which has seen them reap rewards earlier than they probably would have.
“We have some really good kids who are coming on quite well through our Under 17 program and to have high quality elite coaches and players like Brad and Tom come back into the club to assist with some further development, it augurs well for our future as a club and then particularly for those kids as future footballers of the club for a long time to come.”
Likewise Wilson said he was excited to return to the club in his first senior coaching role.
“It is exciting coming back,” he said.
“I think everyone is in a good spot and it’s a good time to take over.
“Steve Wenman has done a good job, put in a lot of work and so has Brenton.
“It is a good time to take it on and see if we can take it up a level.”
West has retained the majority of its listed players from last season, with the young group growing.
The challenge of taking those players to the next level is something Wilson said he looked forward to.
“They are still young, but most of the work Wemmo has done will stand out,” he said.
“We will probably try out a couple more young players as we go along and Tom will make a big difference.”
Wilson said his plan was simply to raise the bar across the board, from pre-season training, to game day and around the club in general.
“The majority of the group are still around from when I was here before,” he said.
“There are a few new ones that come with a good rap, a good reputation.
“It will be about getting the young players to step up to senior footy and fast tracking a few.
“Over the summer we will see if we can put some weight on a few guys and see who can slide into senior roles.
“I will implement a few of my own ideas and let it grow from there.”
For Holmes, his return was always about timing.
After spending a couple of seasons at Tantanoola, he said he was always going to return to Malseed Park.
“I had two years at Tantanoola – my partner was from down there,” Holmes said.
“I always had intentions of coming back – it was just something different to do down there and try the Mid SE.
“I watched a few games last season and I was really impressed with the young fellows who are coming on.
“I’d like to be a part of that and help them develop, to get the club up and going so those young fellows in a few years are all over it.”
Holmes said he was keen to start pre-season training under Wilson’s guidance.
Wenman is remaining at the club as a player, which will also assist Wilson as he makes the step to a senior coaching role.
That scenario clearly echoes Wenman’s experience over the last two years, which has not been lost on the incoming rookie.
“Being a first-time coach – he was in the same spot two years ago,” Wilson said.
“I already have started and I will keep leaning on him.
“It is my first senior coaching role, but I have had assistant positions here and there.
“I’m sure there will be some things to learn along the way, but I have good people around me and a good club to work in.”
An assistant to Wilson is yet to be announced, which James said would simply happen when the new coach found what he was looking for.
“That is in Brad’s court,” he said.
“We want to bring someone in he can work with.
“From our perspective we will be ‘rattling the can’ to have a chat to some quality recruits and see if they fit the mould of what Brad’s looking for.
“At the moment everyone is really excited by the changes.
“As a club we are in a good place.”
