EFNL 2023: Every senior men’s Eastern league coaching appointment

From ex-AFL mentors to returning stalwarts, competition greats and more, see who is coaching each Eastern league club this year.

Ex-AFL names, league greats, club stalwarts and more make up this year’s cohort of Eastern league coaches.

Ex-AFL names, league greats, club stalwarts and more make up this year’s cohort of Eastern league senior men’s coaches.

Find out who is coaching where, with every club across every division listed.

PREMIER DIVISION

BALWYN – Brenton Sanderson

The former Adelaide coach landed in the Tigers’ head role following Rodney Eade’s departure at the end of the 2022 season.

MORE: Ex-AFL coach lands in Eastern league

BERWICK – Clint Evans

Recommitted to the Wickers and will lead the club for a fourth season in 2023.

Evans took over in 2020 and coached the club in its inaugural Eastern league season in 2021.

It posted a 4-13-1 record last year.

Ex-Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson will head up Balwyn this year. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

BLACKBURN – Brendan Allen

Chalks up six years as coach this season following a third consecutive finals appearance in 2022.

Took the Panthers to a grand final in 2019 and an elimination final last year.

DONCASTER EAST – Ryan James

James guided the Lions through his maiden season at the helm in 2022, succeeding dual premiership coach Steve Buckle in the role at the end of 2021.

The club competed in its first-ever finals campaign in the top-flight last year and have recruited heavily ahead of 2023, headlined by ex-AFL midfielder Tom Bell.

DONCASTER – Chris Annakis

The Eastern league legend was last year reappointed at the Sharks for a second season at the helm.

The three-time league medallist said belief in the club’s direction drove his decision to recommit.

EAST RINGWOOD – Ben Osborne

The ‘Roos secured Osborne for a further two seasons in 2021, taking his tenure to the end of 2023.

They’ll contest the league’s top division this season, earning promotion after winning their first senior flag since 2002 last year.

NOBLE PARK – Steve Hughes

Will go again at Pat Wright Senior Oval after leading the club to the premiership in 2022 – the club’s first senior flag since 2011.

Hughes took on the coaching job following the 2019 season.

Steve Hughes (right) lifts the 2022 cup. Picture: Andy Brownbill

NORWOOD – Marty Pask

The former AFL player will continue to lead the Norsemen, re-signing for this season.

Pask has coached the club for the past three years, after his appointment in September 2018.

The Norsemen finished last season two games outside the finals, with a 7-10-1 result.

PARK ORCHARDS – Dennis Armfield

The former Carlton man will steer the Sharks for a fifth season after first signing with the club ahead of the 2019 season.

He coached the club in its inaugural season in the Premier Division in 2022 after leading it to the Division 1 minor premiership in ‘21.

The Sharks finished last season in eighth spot with a 6-12 record.

ROWVILLE – Ben Wise

Wise has committed to two more years at the Hawks.

He took over in the role in 2020 and led the Hawks to their first-ever top division grand final last season and the minor premiership.

SOUTH CROYDON – Marcus Buzaglo

The former East Ringwood champion was re-signed in July last year.

Buzaglo has steered the club since early 2021, leading it to the finals in his first full year in charge in 2022, culminating in a preliminary final.

VERMONT – Adam Parker

The dual premiership Eagle will lead the club again as it aims to return to the finals this year, missing for the first time since 2011 last season.

It has actively recruited in its bid to improve on its six wins and ninth-placed finish to 2022.

DIVISION 1

BAYSWATER – Marc Hardy

The Eastern league great and 430-gamer returns to the Division 1 club he led to a premiership as playing-coach in 2005.

He replaces outgoing mentor Tom Roach, who had steered the club since 2019.

MORE: Eastern league great returns to Bayswater

BEACONSFIELD – Mick Fogarty

The dual Noble Park premiership coach has been extended into this season, having overseen the Eagles into the Eastern league last year. The club finished the season in seventh with a 6-12 record, but has recruited well this off-season, headlined by ex-AFL name Darren Minchington.

CROYDON – Morris D’Alessandro

Sixth season heading up the Blues for D’Alessandro, after re-signing in October last year.

The Blues, who contested the 2019 decider, missed the finals in 2022 finishing sixth with a 9-9 record.

Croydon coach Morris D'Alessandro. Picture: Steve Tanner

LILYDALE – Luke McCormick

The former South Croydon mentor embarks on his second campaign in the role, following the club’s ninth-placed finish to 2022.

It won five of its 18 matches last year.

MITCHAM – Neil Winterton

The club’s longest-serving coach, having held the post for some nine years in a stint taking in the 2015 and 2019 flags and two best-and-fairests.

The club contested another finals series last season, reaching a preliminary final.

MONTROSE – Gary Ayres

The VFL/AFL great led a young Demons outfit into their first finals series since 2014 last year in his first season in charge, after landing the role in August 2021.

Montrose knocked over Wantirna South in an elimination final last year before a narrow semi-final loss to grand finalist, Mooroolbark.

Montrose coach Gary Ayres. Picture: George Sal

MOOROOLBARK – Bret Lavars

Will lead the club for a fifth year after dropping just two matches during the home-and-away campaign last season, playing off in the grand final.

NORTH RINGWOOD – Robbie Nahas

The ex-AFL Tiger and ‘Roo will again steer the Saints, taking him into a fourth year at the helm.

The club won two matches last season in Premier Division and was relegated to Division 1.

SOUTH BELGRAVE – Luke Galliott

The dual Saints premiership coach will remain at the helm this season as the club takes on Division 1.

Galliott led the club to a second flag last season with a 39-point win over Ringwood in the Division 2 decider, after guiding it to a perfect campaign in 2019 in Division 3.

WANTIRNA SOUTH – Brett Moyle

The dual North Ringwood premiership coach replaces outgoing mentor Steve Cochrane, who stood down at the end of last season.

MORE: New Wantirna South coach reveals plans

Ex-North Ringwood mentor Brett Moyle returns to senior coaching. Picture: Davis Harrigan

DIVISION 2

BORONIA – Matt Clark

This year takes the dual premiership coach into a sixth year at the Hawks’ helm.

Clark led the club to its first flag in 18 years in his first season in charge in 2018, following premiership success with Wantirna South in 2014.

Hawks played in a third-consecutive finals series last year, with the club buoyed by the inclusion of ex-AFL Bomber Josh Begley this off-season.

EAST BURWOOD – David Jensen

The former Surrey Park coach replaced outgoing mentor Stuart Wynd, who stood down at the end of the 2022 campaign.

Jensen joins the Rams via Division 2 rival Ringwood where he served as senior assistant in the second half of last season, after parting ways with Surrey Park in June.

MORE: East Burwood unveils new coach

HEATHMONT – Scott Hamill

The former Surrey Park mentor will steer the Jets in 2023 following two years out of senior coaching.

Hamill led the Division 4 Panthers to their first finals campaign in 13 years in 2019 during a four-year stint, before serving as an assistant coach to Brendan Whitecross at Knox across 2021 and ‘22.

MORE: Why Heathmont can close gap on rivals according to Hamill

KNOX – Steve Buckle

The triple Eastern league premiership mentor returns to coaching after a season off, taking over from ex-AFL Hawk Brendan Whitecross who steered the Falcons across the 2021 and ‘22 seasons.

Buckle, who coached Doncaster East to two flags and Heathmont to one, takes over a Knox outfit which finished ninth of Division 2’s 10 teams, with a 4-13-1 record last season.

MORE: ‘Exciting prospect’: How Knox landed triple premiership coach

Doncaster East coach Steve Buckle Jake Summers in the Eastern Football League (EFL). Picture: Davis Harrigan

MULGRAVE – Matt Richards

The Lions great succeeded Ryan Webster in the head role in August last year.

Richards holds the club games record and brings head coaching experience from the under-19s and reserves, and seniors as assistant – a position he had held since 2020.

Former Western Bulldogs Lin Jong and Fletcher Roberts headline the Lions’ recruits this off-season.

MORE: Mulgrave coach hands reins to club great

RINGWOOD – Brett Rowe

Re-signed on the eve of the finals last season, leading the club into a third consecutive grand final.

He’s led the Redbacks into finals in each of his seasons at the helm since 2018, and won the minor premiership in 2021 when there were no finals played.

Ringwood coach Brett Rowe. Picture: Stuart Milligan

TEMPLESTOWE – Anthony McGregor

Re-committed to the Dockers, who welcomed a package of gun recruits in recent months in their bid to climb the ladder in 2023.

They missed the finals on percentage last season, finishing sixth.

THE BASIN – Jason Wade

The former Donvale champion takes on his first senior coaching gig, after clocking up more than 400 games across a decorated career which included two senior flags, three senior best and fairests, multiple appearances at representative level and the club captaincy.

He takes over from outgoing Bears coach Justin Stanton.

MORE: Eastern league great lands at The Basin

UPPER FERNTREE GULLY – Mark Fisher

A former state and NAB League assistant, Fisher will steer the Kings next season as they embark on a new division following a winless campaign and relegation from Division 1.

Fisher led Outer East club Mount Evelyn from 2018 to 2022, stepping aside ahead of last season. His stint included finals in Division 1 in 2019, with it placed second in 2021 when the campaign was wiped due to Covid.

MORE: Upper Ferntree Gully unveils new coach

WAVERLEY BLUES – Tom Langford

The playing-coach will spearhead the Blues into a new division this season after guiding the club to the Division 3 premiership last year.

It was a near-perfect campaign for the Blues, who didn’t drop a game after Round 1.

DIVISION 3

COLDSTREAM – Chad Rogers

The Eastern league premiership coach led the Cougars to the finals in their first season in Division 3, finishing fourth following promotion from Division 4. Rogers coached Upper Gully to an undefeated flag campaign in Division 3 in 2016.

DONVALE – Kevin Collins

The club stalwart recommitted to the ‘Vales after falling agonisingly short of another flag last season.

Collins is no stranger to premiership success at Donvale, coaching the club to the 1994 second-tier flag and three top-flight grand finals between 1995 and 1998, including the 1996 premiership.

Donvale coach Kevin Collins. Picture: George Salpigtidis

FAIRPARK – Sean Stanton

Stanton is the club’s longest-serving senior coach having held the post since 2017.

He led the club to its first flag since 1995 in 2019 in Division 4, and was last year named the Eastern league Division 3 Coach of the Year.

FERNTREE GULLY – Brent Kiker

The 1996 Wantirna South premiership player will coach the Eagles for a fourth year, having landed the gig in October 2019.

The club resurrected its fortunes in the second half of last year after a draw from its first eight matches, winning seven of its next eight to lift itself out of relegation territory.

It finished fifth at the end of the season.

OAKLEIGH DISTRICT – Blake Pearson

The two-time Chandler medallist and VFL premiership midfielder replaces Paul Howroyd as coach, and links up with brother Ryan who plays at the club.

Pearson crosses from Norwood in the league’s Premier Division, and will serve as a playing-coach as he looks to improve on the club’s winless inaugural EFNL season in Division 2 last year.

MORE: VFL premiership midfielder to lead Oakleigh District

Blake Pearson takes a screamer for Norwood. Picture: Field of View Photography

SILVAN – Trent Martin

Martin leads the Cats in Division 3 following a premiership in Division 4 last year – the club’s first senior flag since 2014.

He finished best afield in the grand final, as his charges edged Surrey Park by 12 points.

WHITEHORSE PIONEERS – Andrew Haining

Former Montrose ruckman Haining will steer the Pioneers in a playing capacity this season, replacing Duncan Jones in the role.

Haining tied for the Eastern league’s highest individual honour, the Chandler Medal, in 2014 as the best and fairest in the top division in a career which has taken in more than 200 matches, three Team of the Year gongs and a premiership in the second tier in 2013.

MORE: How Haining plans to lift Whitehorse Pioneers

WARRANDYTE – Paul Donahoo

Donahoo returns to lead the Bloods for a third season, after they fell short of a grand final berth last season.

They’ve recruited a long line of names this off-season as they look to build on their preliminary final appearance.

DIVISION 4

CHIRNSIDE PARK – Dave Newlands

Newlands re-signed in August 2022 and led the club to its first finals win since 2009 last year, playing off in a preliminary final.

He took over in 2019, with the club snapping a 37-game losing streak in 2021.

CROYDON NORTH-MLOC – Ben Oakes

This year marks a first season in charge for Oakes, who takes over from Mark Holly.

Oakes served as senior assistant to Holly last season and had previously coached Mount Lilydale Old Collegians.

Chirnside Park coach Dave Newlands. Picture: Davis Harrigan

FOREST HILL – Justin Scicluna

The coach of four years was set to step down at the end of last season – but a surprise backflip set him for a fifth term at the helm.

MORE: Forest Hill coach backflips on decision to step down

GLEN WAVERLEY – Dean Warren

Warren returns to the club after leading it in its inaugural year in 2005. He’s signed at the Hawks for the next three years, taking over from Brett Gatehouse who coached the club in 2022 and has since joined Oakleigh District as an assistant.

Glen Waverley finished last in Division 3 in 2022 and was relegated to Division 4.

KILSYTH – Simon Caldwell

A fourth year awaits Caldwell after taking the Cougars to the finals for the first time since 2015, playing in a semi following an 8-8 home-and-away record for fourth spot.

Caldwell returned to the head role in 2020 after coaching the club from 2009-2014.

MORE: Kilsyth’s recruiting coup

NUNAWADING – Frank Salanitri

Appointed the Lions’ coach following the 2022 season, Salanitri takes on the role after last leading the club a decade ago.

Nunawading went winless through last season and finished at the foot of the table.

MORE: How incoming Nunawading coach hopes to turn club’s fortunes around

Frank Salanitri is back for a second stint at Nunawading.

SCORESBY – Craig McKenzie

A maiden season at the helm for McKenzie, who succeeds Kristian Bardsley in the role after the club suffered a fourth relegation in eight years last season.

The Magpies have welcomed back some experience in their bid to improve this year.

SURREY PARK – James Kenworthy

Appointed to the full-time role after the club fell 12 points short of the premiership last year, having previously served as caretaker coach from midway through the season.

He’ll continue in a playing capacity this year.