Kyabram announce coaching line-up and sign Mick Mattingly

A country footy powerhouse has made significant moves in its coaching and recruiting departments to again climb to the top of the mountain.

They’re the signings Kyabram hope will set it up for future success in the Goulburn Valley league.

The club has announced Corey Carver and Kaine Herbert as senior co-coaches with the pair taking over from Paul Newman.

Both were initially set to coach the under-18s with Carver already heavily involved in the thirds and Herbert a senior star.

But now both have made the step up after Kyabram’s president John Guinan felt promoting from within was the best thing to do.

“Corey was originally my first choice before we were looking at someone outside of the club. high profile you might say,” he said.

“We just couldn’t make it work (with Carver initially).

“We wanted to take the load off and having co-coaches was the way to do it. We couldn’t get that support for Corey a few months ago.

“We went down a few other lines, interviewed some high profile coaches and came to the realisation that we’re not interested in a high profile coach coming for 12 months and then leaving again.

“We’ve been inside ourselves with coaching for the past 15 years and it has worked. We’ve got experienced people under our nose.

“Once we were able to get a commitment out of Kaine to be playing coach (it was on).”

Guinan said Carver was ready for the senior role again after coaching Kyabram District league outfit Lancaster in 2018.

“He’s got that itch to scratch,” the Kyabram president said.

“He’s got an unbelievable football brain, got a rapport with the playing group and the club.

“Corey is in the club for the long-term, his kids are at the club.

“So hopefully we’re locking them in for a minimum of five years.”

Former Kyabram Bomber Mick Mattingly has returned back to the club. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Guinan conceded their potential longevity in the role was what attracted him to sign both of them up.

And the Bombers have not wasted time in getting recruits to help the team go one better next season after losing to Echuca in the grand final this year.

The club has signed former Goulburn Valley league best and fairest Mick Mattingly who returns to Kyabram after playing in the SANFL for West Adelaide.

The midfielder finished second in the best and fairest for the Bloods this season.

Guinan said it was a coup for the club and a sign the team’s culture allows them to get players back or joining the Bombers.

“We’re chuffed as a club (to get him),” he said.

“It’s the sort of club we pride ourselves on with club culture. People want to play for the club, not for the coach.

“We’ll also have a lot of input from Mick (with the coaches).”

The Kyabram president added more recruits will be released by the club by the end of the week.

“By the end of this week we’ll have some more names,” he said.

“We won’t give them away because they are not 100 per cent (confirmed)

“We haven’t gone too hard, the success of Ky is not relying on those outside (coming in).”