EDFL: Peter Lohner takes over as coach at Northern Saints
Peter Lohner has been involved with Northern Saints for 36 years and will take on the top job next season. He discusses his plans for the EDFL Division 2 club.
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Peter Lohner is perhaps the most recognisable face at Northern Saints.
President Joe Antonetti described the new senior coach as the EDFL Division 2 club’s most knowledgeable football person.
With his involvement dating back 36 years and two decades of coaching experience, Lohner will be anything but a new mentor for most of his players.
In fact, he estimates he has coached “about 70 per cent” of the Saints’ senior group.
A passionate club person, Lohner could be the man the Saints desperately need after churning through three coaches in the past four seasons.
Lohner said he was “really looking forward” to taking charge after steering the under-19s side to consecutive grand finals.
Eighteen of those players — including 15 homegrowns — are set to graduate to the senior ranks in 2020.
“This is where our base starts. We’ve got the foundation of our homegrown kids now and we can really start to build, which is what excites me the most,” Lohner said.
“If it takes two or three years for these kids to develop enough to progress to the next level, so be it.
“If we’re lucky enough to get enough experience around them next year, they’ve certainly got the ability to be very competitive.
“We’ve got a good, young group with plenty of potential. There’s plenty of room for improvement, especially on the team-orientated stuff — game plans and structures and those sorts of things.”
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The Saints finished one game outside the top four this year after claiming the minor premiership in 2018.
Talent is not a concern for Lohner, but he is looking to bolster his squad with some experience, specifically players aged 28 and above.
Mark Sabatino, who kicked 33 goals this season, has crossed to Hadfield, while Matthew D’Angelo has joined Essendon Doutta Stars.
Lohner said the Saints were “not far off”, adding expectations would remain high despite the influx of youth.
“That’s what I feel they need, a bit of leadership on the ground,” he said.
“They’ve got a couple of very good leaders, but they need more.
“That’s what I’m targeting.”
Lohner said he hoped to lay a platform for a “coach of note” to ultimately take the reins.
“After two or three years, if the club’s happy with what I’m doing, I want them in a position that when they advertise, there are coaches with experience who will be interested,” he said.
“Rather than the coaches who are green and thinking, ‘They’re in Division 2, that’s where we’ll start.’
“That’s my goal for the club.”
Antonetti declared Lohner “knows the club better than anyone”.
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