Four new NAB League coaches locked in
Former AFL star Travis Cloke is one of four new coaches in the elite under-age NAB League, leaving only one coaching vacancy left in the competition.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two former coaches are returning to the NAB League next year as part of sweeping changes to the elite under-age competition.
And ex-AFL star Travis Cloke has landed the coaching role at the club from which he emerged, Eastern Ranges.
The AFL has filled four of the NAB League coaching vacancies by appointing former Magpie and Western Bulldogs forward Cloke at Eastern, Marco Bello at Oakleigh Chargers, David Loader at Greater Western Victoria Rebels and Robbie Chancellor at Western Jets.
Bello is coming off a stint at Hawthorn, where he was squeezed out by COVID-19-related financial cuts.
He had steered the Northern Knights in 2013 and then linked with Hawthorn, taking its VFL affiliate Box Hill Hawks to grand finals in 2014 and ’15.
Loader had charge of the Rebels from 2011-15. He joined North Melbourne in a development role in 2016 and went on to coach its VFL team. He was also let go this year as the Roos sharpened the pencil.
Cloke was another football figure impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, forced out at his former club, Collingwood, where he had a development role.
He was recently ranked as the third-best player to come out of the Ranges, behind Sam Mitchell and Kade Simpson.
Two weeks ago Cloke told Leader he was eager to land the Eastern job, which like all others in the NAB League has become a full-time position.
All coaches will have charge of the girls and boys teams.
“That’s where I want to go, NAB League. I’ve always had a passion for developing junior talent,’’ he said.
“When I played I enjoyed working with the new draftees straight out of the Under 18s system, just because they’re so enthusiastic.’’
For the past two-and-a-half years Cloke has been involved with the Vic Metro squad.
Cloke takes over from Darren Bewick, who was unable to commit to a full-time role (Berwick has since been appointed coach of Greenvale).
Chancellor has been at St Kilda since 2013, working in opposition and performance analysis. Last September he was appointed as an assistant coach in the areas of stoppages and team structure.
Chancellor was a football technology assistant at Hawthorn for three years, starting in 2008, and then crossed to Melbourne as an opposition analyst.
The Sandringham Dragons are now the only club looking for a coach. They need to replace Josh Bourke, who stood down after one season.
Former Western Jets coach and Hawthorn assistant Torin Baker had been linked with the Dragons position.
NAB League 2021 managers, coaches
Metro
Calder Cannons: Matt Burton (regional talent operations lead), Ross Smith (coach)
Eastern Ranges: Zac Kennedy, Travis Cloke
Northern Knights: Natalie Grindall, Leigh Clarke
Oakleigh Chargers: Jy Bond, Marco Bello
Sandringham Dragons: Mark Wheeler, vacancy
Western Jets: Luke Williams, Robbie Chancellor
Country
Bendigo Pioneers: Brooke Brown, Damian Truslove
Dandenong Stingrays: Toby Jedwab, Nick Cox
GWV Rebels: Phil Partington, David Loader
Geelong Falcons: Tom Lonergan, Paul Corrigan
Gippsland Power: Scott McDougal, Rhett McLennan
Murray Bushrangers: Michael Wilson, Mark Brown
MORE FOOTBALL
VFL PREMIERSHIP BULLDOG GOES BUSH