EDFL 2018: Jacana premiership coach Robert Fletcher’s future at the Division 2 club is uncertain

JACANA premiership coach Robert Fletcher has addressed his future at the EDFL club, with the Division 1 side languishing in last spot with a 0-10 record.

Jacana coach Robert Fletcher is in his second season at the helm. Picture: Ian Currie

JACANA premiership coach Robert Fletcher has revealed his future at the Essendon District Football League Division 1 cellar-dweller is uncertain.

Fletcher is in his second season at the helm and has been offered a two-year contract extension.

But with the Jaguars relegation-bound after claiming last year’s Division 2 flag, he said he was pondering his future.

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“I’ve had a meeting with the footy club, as we did last year, at the halfway point,” Fletcher said.

“They’ve offered me a two-year deal. I’ve told them I’m unsure what I’m going to do, whether I’ll stay on, coach somewhere else or watch my boy play footy, because he’s going to start playing under-19s footy next year and seniors.

“I’ve had a sh*t year … not just with footy, but personally with my mum and dad. I still enjoy coaching footy. I like seeing blokes improve and the footy club has done that.

“They’re a footy club that was probably at rock bottom and to win a flag and go up was great for the footy club.

“Hopefully the club can stay up, hopefully there’s no relegation because that’s where they need to be, and they can keep moving forward.”

Jacana coach Robert Fletcher is in his second season at the helm. Picture: Ian Currie

The Jaguars have a 0-10 record and are three games behind eighth-placed Westmeadows (3-8) with six matches to play in 2018.

Jacana lost to East Keilor by two points in Round 4, but has suffered seven defeats by 69 points or more in a forgettable campaign.

The club’s recruits included Jason Cloke, Josh Young, Justin Dorward and Wayne Schultz, but Fletcher said his team was simply “undermanned” and “not good enough”.

And he added Jacana’s lack of juniors required urgent attention.

“We just didn’t recruit enough players and lost too many at the start of the season, just blokes who didn’t want to play in that higher division,” Fletcher said.

“With the points system, not having any juniors coming through, we’ve probably got about 12 locals that are playing each week in our side.

“In four or five years’ time, they won’t be there, they’ll be retired or stuff like that.

“If they don’t have juniors and under-19s coming through, they won’t have any one-pointers, so they’re really going to have to recruit two footy sides every year.”

Jacana players celebrate last year’s premiership. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Big man Billy Morrison has been a standout in a bleak season for the Jaguars.

“I’m maybe a little bit biased but I think he’s probably the best ruckman in the comp by a mile,” Fletcher said.

Cloke, Dorward, Justin Colliss, Bryce Kimuliatis, Shannon Bennett and Adam Fletcher have also impressed the coach.

But Jacana has been hit hard by injuries, with Schultz, Young, Michael Evans, Rhys Evans and Bryce Dodge among the players sidelined.

“They’re very good footballers that aren’t playing, and when you go up a division, you’ve got to have everything go right for you to be competitive,” Fletcher said.

“I think all sides have got better. It’s a pretty even comp bar us. The standard is good and there’s some good young footballers there.”

The Jaguars will face ladder-leader Airport West this weekend.