AFL Cairns Bulldogs grab new mentor

AFL Cairns club Centrals Trinity Beach have landed on their interim coach for the rest of season 2020.

Lions' Brad Wallace clears the ruck. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

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AFL Cairns club Centrals Trinity Beach have landed on their interim coach for the rest of 2020, with Brad Wallace set to lead the Bulldogs.

The former Cairns City Lions footballer was going to coach the Bulldogs’ reserves team this season, after crossing from Holloways Beach, and has since been handed the interim top job.

It is a return to Trinity Beach for Wallace, who played with the red, white and blue in the 2012 and 2010 local seasons.

Planning for 2021 and beyond led Centrals Trinity Beach to sack experienced coach Wayne Sharkie just weeks before the AFL Cairns season was set to restart on Monday night, the club said.

The Victorian mentor, Sharkie, was about to enter his second campaign at Crathern Park before the Bulldogs made the call.

The Bulldogs missed the finals in Sharkie’s one year in charge, but were one of the few clubs who defeated four-time defending premiers Port Douglas in 2019.

Brad Wallace punches the ball from Adam Gross' hands as he takes a mark. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

While the club have been reviewing the position for some time internally, Sharkie was blindsided by the decision.

Wallace was a long-time member of Lions before crossing to their northern beaches neighbours to coach their reserves in season 2020.

He played senior footy in 2019 as well as helping playing-coach Aaron Davey at Lions.

The experienced Wallace split his time between the reserves and seniors last season at “Cities”, as well as playing the bulk of the 2018 campaign in the top side.

Wallace will lead the club for the remainder of the year, who will be strongly supported by key players Mark Horne, Jackson Williams and GM of football Sam Blease.

Blease said he was excited about Wallace’s appointment.

“He will be great for us,” Blease said.

There is a chance the Bulldogs will not field a reserves team in 2020 following the coronavirus shut down of the competition.

Originally published as AFL Cairns Bulldogs grab new mentor