EFL: Heathmont appoints Nick Rutley as senior coach
A former state league and AFLW mentor has landed at EFL Division 2 club Heathmont as its new senior coach...
Local Footy
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Heathmont has appointed a former state league and AFLW assistant coach to lead the club from 2021.
The EFL Division 2 outfit has announced Nick Rutley as its new senior mentor for the next three years, taking over from the outgoing Kyle Emley, who stepped down from the role last month due to family reasons.
Rutley served as a development coach at VFL clubs Box Hill and Casey across 2014-15 before heading up the midfield at NAB League club Calder Cannons in 2016.
In 2017, he landed the senior coaching role at Outer East club Wandin where he coached for two seasons. He led the club to a flag in the top-flight in 2018 while also serving as AFLW assistant at Carlton.
Rutley most recently worked as the head coach for the Dandenong Stingrays’ NAB League girls in 2019 as well as an assistant for North Melbourne’s AFLW team. But reduced soft-cap spending at the elite level saw his role become one of many causalities in the AFL system due to the coronavirus crisis.
Jets president Rob Parker said the club was thrilled with Rutley’s appointment.
“Nick is a highly motivated and enthusiastic coach who has a wealth of experience and knowledge that will be of tremendous benefit to our whole playing group, young and older, and as a club we are rapt to have secured his services,” he said.
“(The club sought) a coach with senior experience who had tasted success and knew what it took to bring about the further development and improvement of young players, but at the same time, would be able to motivate our loyal band of more experienced players to say the course and enjoy the rewards to come.”
Heathmont has played off in the past four finals series, last year finishing fourth with an 11-7 record on its way to a semi-final berth.
Club director of football Wayne Judge said the club was confident Rutley could lead the Jets to “sustained success” after the premiership coach sought a three-year deal.
“(The three-year deal) reflects both the club’s confidence that we have secured a coach who can lead the club to sustained success over the coming years, and Nick’s strong belief and commitment that he is the right person to help the Club achieve its desired future,” Judge said.