Travis Hodgson locked in as Sunbury coach for two more seasons

Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson has been rewarded for guiding the Lions to an against-the-odds Ballarat league finals berth with a new contract.

Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Sunbury has locked coach Travis Hodgson in for two more years as he rebuilds the club.

The Lions looked Ballarat league premiership contenders at the start of the year before several key players departed unexpectedly.

Lachie Bramble was snapped up by Hawthorn and has become a key part of Alastair Clarkson’s team in the last month.

Reigning Henderson Medallist and captain Alik Magin and Mitch Conn both moved interstate and first-choice ruckman Jayden Eales injured his knee at Port Melbourne pre-season training.

Star midfielders Jack and Dylan Landt as well as Grant Valles and Daylan Kempster departed after the 2019 season.

Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Despite the setbacks Sunbury has remained a finals contender and sat sixth heading into the latest COVID-19 lockdown.

The BFL’s decision to cancel the final home-and-away round on Wednesday locks in an against-the-odds finals berth for the Lions.

Sunbury president Hedley Duhau praised Hodgson’s leadership in difficult circumstances this season.

“We’re very happy to have him locked in for two more years,” Duhau said.

“That’ll take him to five years at the club and – it’s not just my professional opinion – he’s coaching really well at the moment.

“At the start of the year we put up a team on the board and thought this is a pretty good team.

“Our two best players go interstate and our ruckman injured his knee at VFL level, we were decimated by that.

“To get us into sixth is a tremendous effort by not just Travis but the players as well.”

Hodgson returned to his junior club in 2019 and led the Lions back to finals in his first season.

Should restrictions lift in time Sunbury will take on reigning premier East Point in an elimination final on Saturday, August 28.

The club will also play finals in reserve grade and B Grade and D Grade netball.

Duhau said he had built a strong relationship with his playing group and that was reflected on the field.

“He definitely has a good relationship (with the players), he’ll stamp his authority when he has to but he’s also fair,” he said.

“He demands a fair bit from his players but he’s also got a really good understanding of when to be flexible in how he handles different players.

“It’s been very difficult to stop and start but the club is doing well, the players’ morale is still pretty high.

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“Most clubs in community football are in the same boat but the club has handled the situation well to maintain hope.”

Hodgson is the second Ballarat league coach to recommit this week with Tom German signing on again at Hodgson’s former club Bacchus Marsh.

The Cobras paid a heavy price for their last-start loss to Melton, sliding to seventh on percentage, missing a finals berth by just 2.7 per cent.

North Ballarat and Melton will meet in a qualifying final after finishing first and second while Sebastopol and Ballarat clash in the second elimination final.