Brett Backwell appointed Prince Alfred Old Collegians coach

HE HAS been Prince Alfred Old Collegians’ coach for little more than a month but Brett Backwell is already eyeing big things as the club returns to division one amateur football.

26/2/16. Magarey Medallist and former Glenelg player Brett Backwell is the new senior coach of Prince Alfred Old Collegians Football Club. Pic: Keryn Stevens

HE HAS been Prince Alfred Old Collegians’ coach for little more than a month but Brett Backwell is already eyeing big things as the club returns to division one amateur football.

“We’re not here to make up the numbers – I want to win,” says Backwell, the 2006 Magarey Medallist.

“You play footy to win premierships. Is that goal too far out of reach? Possibly.

“But we want to be the best amateur football club in South Australia.”

Prince Alfred Old Collegians appointed Backwell, a former Glenelg, West Adelaide, North Adelaide and Carlton midfielder, last month.

Tom Martin stepped down from the role to move interstate for work just months after leading the Old Reds to a division two premiership and promotion.

After three years as a SANFL assistant, including as Glenelg’s reserves coach last season, Backwell was set to take a break from football in 2016 when Prince Alfred called.

He says his relatively late appointment has not put the Old Reds behind its counterparts.

“I’m really lucky that the club already had some strong assistants, Adrian Rocco and Matt Rohde, who looked after the boys and got them in good shape.”

Backwell wants Prince Alfred, which has not been in the top flight for three decades, to play an “AFL brand of footy” with an emphasis on a hard-nosed defence and strong attack.

“You’ve got to be really mindful of an overload of information so we’ll keep it pretty simple but we’ll have a lot of non-negotiables the boys will have to stick to.”

Backwell has brought ex-Gold Coast and Glenelg midfielder Hayden Jolly to the club, while Brock Castree (Central District/Crows reserves) and Tom Bartlett (Sturt) are among its other recruits.

The Old Reds start their season at home against Adelaide University on Saturday, April 16.

“Hopefully we can slip under the radar a bit early, get some wins on the board and wake a few sides up.

“But we need to do a serious load of work beforehand and the boys need to step up.

“So far, everything we’ve thrown at them they’ve jumped on.”