EFNL 2023: South Belgrave coach Luke Galliott to step down at season’s end

South Belgrave coach Luke Galliott will leave his post at the end of the Eastern league season. The dual premiership coach reflects on his time in charge ...

SOUTH BELGRAVE’s Luke Galliott has called time on his stint as senior coach.

The dual premiership mentor of five years will leave his post at season’s end, with the Saints set for another finals campaign – unbeaten on top of the Eastern league Division 1 ladder.

Galliott led the club to an undefeated flag season in 2019 in Division 3 in his first year in charge – before winning the Division 2 premiership in 2022 following two Covid-ravaged years.

He said the time was right to finish up at year’s end – with a successor already locked in.

“It feels right (after) five years, with the right person waiting in the wings for the handover,” Galliott said.

“It felt like all the ducks had aligned and I’m leaving the post in a good position and it’ll be handed over to someone who’ll continue to take it in the right direction.

“With business, I’ve got to commit a bit more time back to that, and I have a young family.”

Luke Galliott (right) lifts the 2022 Division 2 cup with Tim Smith. Picture: Davis Harrigan

A premiership player with Wantirna South and Upper Ferntree Gully, Galliott also served as senior-assistant under Chad Rogers at the Kings, helping them to an undefeated Division 3 premiership campaign in 2016.

Despite the success, the South Belgrave local wasn’t entirely sold on whether senior coaching was a path he’d wish to pursue – but a strong connection to the Saints helped ignite the flame.

“Living in the area, my wife grew up in the area and my father-in-law coached the club years ago,” Galliott said.

“Whilst my time at Upper Gully as an assistant for six years was fantastic, I wasn’t even sure if I did want to be a senior coach to be honest, but that (South Belgrave) role for me was just one that I had to have.

“I just knew they’re really good people around the footy club and I just think they needed a different vision and I thought the club could have real quick success.

“I just thought it had something more about it that just needed to be unplugged, and luckily for us all those things came to fruition.”

Galliott calling the shots on grand final day, 2022. Picture: Davis Harrigan

He’s certain of the Saints remaining in a sound position for the future.

The club won three premierships in less than a decade from 2013-2022, climbing out of Division 4 at the end of ‘13 and into the league’s second tier at the end of last year.

It’s currently on a run of 22 consecutive victories – including 16 in a row this season.

“It’s been great but I still think there’s plenty more to come – not just this year but beyond – and I’ll be there to support in some way, shape or form in the background,” Galliott said.

South Belgrave football director Cameron Kidd paid tribute to Galliott.

Kidd said an announcement was “imminent” on a successor.

“Luke’s been fantastic for our footy club – we had a vision at the end of 2018 to get to first division, which was the old second division back then,” Kidd said.

“We were one loss away from (relegation to) fourth division in 2018 and we built the club off the field and with his and (assistant) Andrew Gibson’s support, they’ve managed to get us ahead of schedule by a couple of years with Covid and whatnot.

“He’s been phenomenal for the footy club – a lot of kudos has to go to him.”