Goodwood Saints appoint Ben Johnston as coach for Adelaide Footy League season 2024

A local SA footy giant has signed a new coach ahead of season 2024 as it aims to bounce back after being relegated from division one for the first time in over 30 years.

A local SA footy juggernaut has appointed a new coach for season 2024 after suffering a shock relegation in 2023.

Adelaide Footy League giant Goodwood has appointed 2023 B Grade coach Ben Johnston as its A Grade coach for season 2024.

Johnston, who led the club’s B Grade to premierships in 2020, 2021 and 2023, will replace Luke Donaldson, who announced he would step down from the role at the end of last season.

He will lead the Saints through their first division two campaign in 33 years after the side lost to Broadview in the final round of the year to drop from div one.

“I guess I’ve been involved in the club since I was a junior and have been coaching the last five years. I didn’t know what Duck (Luke Donaldson) was going to do this year but I knew the time was right for myself to take on a challenge,” Johnston said.

Goodwood Saints have signed Ben Johnston (left) as A Grade coach for season 2024. Picture: Goodwood Saints Football Club

“I’m a Goodwood person through and through so if I can make a difference and help the footy club get back to div one, or even be a strong div two side, that’s what I’ll do.

“It’s an exciting time.”

Johnston previously spent three years as a coach under Donaldson at Goodwood and believed the two had similar approaches.

He also said his relationship with the young prospects coming through would prove to be a positive on and off the field.

“Luke and I are probably pretty well aligned and he’s put a lot of work in over the last three or four years. There won’t be another Luke Donaldson coming through here in our time,” Johnston said.

“We might change a few little things here and there but we don’t want to change too much.

Johnston will replace Luke Donaldson (pictured) after he stepped down at the end of season 2023. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“Having coached the B Grade this year, we’ve got a lot of young guys coming through who have a lot of potential and I’m familiar with what they can do.

“I just want to push all of the guys to be the best players and people they can be.”

While Goodwood just fell at the final hurdle last season, Johnston believed the club would have the talent to get back up to division one in the near future.

He said one of his major goals would be to win the respect of fans and members back.

“We’ve got a strong list but we’re also looking to add some guys in that department, with Kaine Stevens who is obviously ex-West Adelaide coming back and a couple more guys close to returning,” Johnston said.

“There’s a lot of extraordinary talent here and we know we can be more than competitive.

“I think first it’s just going to be about getting the boys to play together and for each other and really own what happened last season.

“We want to earn that respect back and show people that we want to get back to div one and that we aren’t taking it lightly.”