EDFL: Tom Gleeson headlines Coburg Districts’ recruits for 2019

Coburg Districts boss Chris Tankard has maintained faith in his group and resisted the urge to make mass changes after an EDFL Division 2 campaign which fell well below expectation.

Tom Gleeson fires off a handball during his days at Strathmore. Picture: Josie Hayden

COBURG Districts were finals spectators this season after qualifying for the grand final the previous year.

But coach Chris Tankard has maintained faith in his group and resisted the urge to make mass changes after an Essendon District Football League Division 2 campaign which fell well below expectation.

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“I was pretty disappointed with how the group went this year because I believe they’re a lot better than what they showed,” Tankard said.

“We made a commitment about Round 15 or 16 this year that they were all going to sign and I was going to stay on and we were going to back us to get the job done next year.

“We’ve got a whole new coaching group and hopefully we can get some results that way.”

Classy forward Tom Gleeson has crossed from East Keilor, signing on as a playing assistant coach.

The Lions identified they lacked on-field leadership and the 28-year-old former Footscray and Coburg VFL-listed player is a major addition. Gleeson has also had stints with Strathmore and St Bernard’s.

“It’s an opportunity for him and myself to reunite after our time at St Bernard’s and he’ll add a lot of strings to the way we want to train, set some good standards and hopefully develop into a really good footy coach,” ex-Snowdogs coach Tankard said.

“As a succession plan for myself, we’ve been looking for someone to take over from me and hopefully he’s the right man to do so.

“That (coaching) was probably the one thing that ticked the box for him the most. I don’t think Division 2 is a lure, but I think getting his head into the coaching side of things was the big carrot that got him across the line.”

Tankard said Gleeson is a family friend, adding his capture had been “three or four years in the making”.

The availability of star big man Chris Lynch remains “up in the air” due to a potential overseas job opportunity.

Forward Nate Biggs is yet to play a game in two seasons with the club because of injury, while work commitments this year limited James Reid’s availability.

“That’s three big recruits for our footy club,” Tankard said.

Coburg Districts lacked consistency this season, underlined by the fact they defeated three of the four finalists but lost to Burnside Heights twice.