AFL Mackay: John Eddy replaces premiership coach Chayse Tilley as Saints’ top man

After just one season which delivered a premiership, North Mackay’s men’s coach has stepped aside. Find out why, and how the Saints will benefit from the move.

Chayse Tilley (team manager), Darren Bobin (assistant coach), and John Eddy (head coach) are the trio hoping to lead the North Mackay Saints to a sixth straight premiership. Picture: North Mackay Saints AFC Facebook.

The right blend of continuity and evolution is often the key to prolonged success on the sporting field.

It’s a recipe many teams struggle to get right.

For the North Mackay Saints however, who are gunning for an unprecedented sixth consecutive AFL Mackay men’s premiership, it’s one they nail.

When you scratch the surface, the decision to replace premiership coach Chayse Tilley - after just one season - with John Eddy raises eyebrows at the least. But a deeper dive will uncover that the move aligns with the foundations of the widely regarded Saints juggernaut.

Promotion from within.

Tilley and women’s premiership coach James Gallagher had both featured in the early premierships of the dynasty, as has Eddy, who played in four and captained two.

The Saints’ celebrating their five-peat earlier this year. Picture: Supplied.

“He was keen to do it, he was my assistant last year and was keen to take over the reins so I was happy to pass it over,” Tilley said of the reasoning behind the switch.

“As much as I was the head coach (last year) we were a pretty tight trio, changing over to John as head coach will be a pretty smooth transition as John’s been around just as long as I have.

“It’s a change of titles but not much has changed.”

While Eddy is promoted from an assistant to head coaching role, Darren Bobin will remain as an assistant and Tilley will shift into the post of team manager.

Eddy was also an “on and off” assistant coach of the U17s for several years before stepping into the senior program in 2023.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Eddy said of the new role.

North Mackay Saints women's coach Mark Gallagher (left) and Chayse Tilley (right) celebrating their premiership success. Picture: Supplied.

“There is a little bit of expectation, but I’ve been involved with the team for a long time.

“The expectation’s always there, we never go into a season thinking it’s going to be easy, we set the bar very high there.”

While the playing group will be largely unchanged in 2024, Eddy believes the side will need to continue its evolution if it’s to stay ahead of the curve and claim a sixth flag on the trot.

“You’ve got to always adapt, there’ll be new ideas, absolutely,” Eddy said.

“I think it would be a bit naive to go into a new year thinking it’s all going to be the same again.

“A new year comes with new pressures, it’s definitely not gonna be the same as last year.

“We’ve got to evolve to stay competitive.”

Following a ground-breaking first premiership, a coaching change is also in the works for the Saints women’s side.

Unsurprisingly, if the intended replacement is secured, they will again come from within the Saints.