Jarrad Waite to coach his home club

A former AFL star is poised to take the reins at his home club in 2024 as they prepare to rise up the ladder. Here’s how the appointment happened.

Benalla hopes the signing of ex-AFL star, and home grown talent, Jarrad Waite can lead to a resurgence on and off the field.

Two years after Waite returned to the club as a player the Saints have now announced the former forward will coach the team.

He takes over from Will Martiniello and Mark McKenzie.

Will Martiniello has stepped down as coach of Benalla. His job has been taken over by Jarrad Waite. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

“We knew that Will and Mark were stepping down because of work and family commitments,” Benalla’s football director Terry Blackburn said.

“We spoke to him (Waite) late in the year about the opportunity to coach.

“He was undecided, he loved the fact there was an opportunity for him but we just had to work around some strategies (for him to coach).

“He came back to us and said he was in if we wanted him.”

Blackburn said the way he guided their juniors when he played was one of the reasons the club asked him to coach.

“Being an ex-AFL footballer and a figurehead he was fantastic with our young blokes on game day throughout the year when he played,” he said.

“We played six or seven under-18 players this year for their first games and we were impressed with what we’ve got there to build.”

Jarrad Waite playing in the Northern Territory in 2019. Picture: KATRINA BRIDGEFORD.

Blackburn said despite the team winning six games in the past two seasons the club knows it is on the improve.

The Saints are now focused on giving Waite a team to contend.

“We’ll be concentrating on developing our juniors and local talent and getting our local talent back from district level,” Blackburn said.

“We know they have GV potential, they have gone out for different reasons.

“We’ll be concentrating on getting them back through the door.

“We’ve got some quality A-graders in our side but our senior depth ran short so that’s where we are concentrating on our locals, to lift those numbers at training.”

Blackburn said the target areas for depth are key position players and adding some speed around the ball.

The club has already had some recruiting success.

After the club has focused on getting the players, the Saints will work with Waite on his game plan.

“We’ve got a bit of work to do with our list and then we’ll sit and look at how best to look at our game plan and go from there,” Blackburn said.

“That (list) is looking promising at this stage, we’ve signed a few ex-GV players back into our fold.”

Blackburn added Waite will also play next season.