MPFNL: All the latest coaching moves ahead of 2025
There have been coaching changes in the Mornington Peninsula league ahead of 2025. Here’s an up-to-date look at every club’s coaching status.
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Coaching changes and tweaks have been made at Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League clubs in recent months.
Keep up with all the latest moves here ...
DIVISION 1
DROMANA
Ben Holmes is going again at Dromana. He signed a two-year deal when he took over from Matt Price in October, 2023. Holmes guided the Tigers into the grand final this year.
FRANKSTON YCW
Paul Goonan is on board for 2025, the club recently confirmed.
Goonan will coach for a fifth year — sixth if you include the 2020 Covid season — after leading the Stonecats to the 2022 premiership.
MT ELIZA
Premiership coach Rikki Johnston is already planning more success in 2025, after taking the Redlegs to glory in 2024. Winning flags is in his DNA.
PINES
Paddy Swayn will coach the Pythons for an 11th straight season in 2025. He chalked up his 200th game at the helm in August.
RED HILL
Jamie Mollo was named MPFNL Division 1 coach of the year after steering the Hillmen to a first-ever top-flight finals berth. Yet, he’s still to be reappointed. The club says it’s close to making an announcement.
ROSEBUD
Danny Ades signed a fresh deal at Rosebud late in the season, re-committing to the club for seasons 2025 and ‘26. He got the Buds into the finals in 2024, his second season at the helm.
SORRENTO
James Hallahan will be a playing-coach at Sorrento in 2025 after being appointed for two years, replacing great mate Leigh Poholke. Hallahan will go into coaching with his own firm views on how he intends to lead the way, bringing his own determined style to the job.
MORNINGTON
Leigh McQuillen took over as senior coach in June after ongoing concussion symptoms forced Mornington premiership playing-coach Josh Newman to step away from football. McQuillen will continue in the role in ‘25, with Newman still involved.
LANGWARRIN
Josh Beard and Jarred Moore will continue as co-coaches. Beard has coached Langy since 2018, while Moore, the ex-AFL Swan, has been back at his home club since 2022 (when he was an assistant coach).
EDITHVALE-ASPENDALE
Kris Pendlebury made a whirlwind start to his coaching career, taking the Eagles to the Division 2 premiership. And the good news for the Eagles is that he’ll be in charge again in 2025, when Edi-Asp goes into the top division. Pendlebury signed a two-year deal last September. He initially took the Edi-Asp job after being urged to do it by his famous brother, Collingwood champion Scott.
DIVISION 2
BONBEACH
Ex AFL-Saint Troy Schwarze is Bonbeach’s new senior coach for 2025, replacing Adrian Connolly.
Schwarze returns to coaching after several years but few can match his record. He coached Sorrento for 10 years and that included six premierships.
Schwarze was selected after an extensive three-month search.
CHELSEA
David Willett nearly became a premiership coach this year after steering the Seagulls to the grand final, which they lost by one straight kick. He’s the right man to lead them again in ‘25.
CRIB POINT
After going so close to steering the Magpies to their first finals campaign in 10 years, Duane Annable will be at the helm.
DEVON MEADOWS
The Panthers are going with a co-coaching set up in 2025, with ex-AFL player Dean Kent to be a be playing co-coach and sharing the top role with Ryan Hendy.
“I’ll just bring my experience, different ideas and a different voice and see where that takes us,” Kent said. “We’ll be honest with each other and bounce ideas off each other.”
HASTINGS
Seven-time Frankston YCW premiership player Kevin Lylak will launch his coaching career at the Blues. “It’s exciting,” he said. “I know they (Hastings) are coming from far back but that’s the exciting part of it, it’s a blank canvas. I feel like I can make a few changes that overtime will go a long way.”
KARINGAL
Former St Kilda captain Nathan Burke was unveiled as the man to lead the Bulls in 2025 “and beyond” in August. A former coach of the Western Bulldogs’ AFLW side, Burke knows Karingal well, having served as player development manager this year, working with the Bulls’ raft of young players. He replaces Luke Forsyth, who has joined Langwarrin as an assistant coach.
PEARCEDALE
Peter Bastinac will coach the Dales for a fourth successive year in 2025. He’s taken the club to finals in each season so far and has it poised to challenge for high honours.
SEAFORD
Rohan Bleeker will continue as the Tigers senior men’s head coach through to the 2026 season. He steered the Tigers to seventh spot with a 9-9 record.
SOMERVILLE
The Eagles have been knocking on the premiership door under Chris Gamble and he will again be at the helm in 2025, his third season in charge.
TYABB
Matt Haverfield will coach the Yabbies in season 2025. Sam Fox, who was Haverfield’s co-coach in ‘23-24, has stepped aside. Haverfield has been part of Tyabb’s coaching group since 2018 and his knowledge of the club’s players, opposition players and the game will see the club continue to improve next year.
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