Former North Melbourne defender Nathan Grima looking to make his own mark as Sturt coach

New Sturt coach Nathan Grima believes age will not be a barrier to success as he puts his own stamp on the Double Blues this season.

Sturt coach Nathan Grima with wife Jacinta daughter Amarli, 2, and son Spencer, 7 weeks. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

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New Sturt coach Nathan Grima believes age will not be a barrier to success as he puts his own stamp on the Double Blues this season.

The 33-year-old is just one year older than his key recruit, Danyle Pearce, but is quick to shoot down any questions about inexperience.

And the 88-game former North Melbourne and Essendon defender needs to look only as far as his predecessor Martin Mattner for reference.

“I don’t need to come in and prove to anyone I can or can’t coach,” says Grima, a member of Central District’s 2007 premiership team.

Grima in action for Central District against Port Adelaide in 2007. Picture: Stephen Laffer

Nathan Grima embraces former Kangaroos teammate Andrew Swallow while playing for the Bombers in 2016. Picture: Colleen Petch

“The good thing with following in Marty’s footsteps is he was 33 when he took over – the same age I am.

“He’d freshly come out of the AFL, not too dissimilar to me.

“Our philosophies, thinkings on things like and structures and method are probably quite similar because we came through that same generation.

“Most things Marty has implemented we don’t need to shake up.

“It’s more about changing a few things that I value in the way we will play.”

Grima is not the only young coach taking the reins in the SANFL this season.

Woodville-West Torrens has appointed 31-year-old Sam Lonergan.

Employing a youthful coach is nothing new but it does have recent examples of success.

Mattner won back-to-back flags with Sturt before his 35th birthday and in the US Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay was the talk of the NFL last season, taking his side to a Superbowl appearance at 33 years.

Nathan Grima gets his message across to his Strathmore charges. Picture: Mark Wilson

Grima coached Strathmore in the Essendon and District Football League premier division the past two seasons and guided the Mores to back-to-back finals campaigns.

Since being a part of the Dogs’ flag in 2007, Grima has spent more than a decade away from the league and makes no bones about needing to do his homework.

“I’ll get to as many games as I can that don’t clash with ours in the first few weeks to watch as many teams and players as I can,” he says.

“I’ve always heard of some really good players that haven’t got the chance to play AFL footy and a lot of them are running around in this comp.”

Sturt begins its campaign at home to Adelaide on Saturday, March 30.

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