MPFNL: Sorrento appoints David Flood as senior assistant coach

A former Essendon player who narrowly missed selection in the Bombers’ 1993 premiership team has joined James Hallahan’s coaching team at Sorrento.

David Flood coaching the Calder Cannons in 2007. Picture: Robert McKechnie

A former Essendon player who narrowly missed selection in the Bombers’ 1993 premiership team has joined James Hallahan’s coaching team at Sorrento.

David Flood has been appointed senior assistant coach.

The 55-year-old went on to have extensive coaching experience after eight years (and 58 games) playing for the Bombers under master coach Kevin Sheedy.

He was an assistant to Sheedy before coaching Richmond’s VFL affiliate, Coburg Tigers.

Flood then coached Calder Cannons to a TAC Cup premiership in 2007, and was then recruited by Hawthorn to be the development coach from 2009 until 2012.

He also coached the Vic Metro Under 18s in the NAB national competition, winning the national title in 2016.

Mitchell Farmer with coach David Flood raise the premeirship cup for Calder Cannons.

More recently, Flood has spent the past few years working with his hometown football club, Nhill, in the Wimmera league.

Professionally, Flood is a golf course architect.

In other Sorrento news, Sharks premiership player Matthew Dobrowolski has been appointed reserves coach. A true clubman, he played a key role in Sorrento’s 2014 senior premiership team and was a standout in the 2017 reserves premiership team, where he also claimed the reserves best and fairest award.

Matthew Dobrowolski takes a kick for Sorrento. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Hallahan was appointed Sorrento’s playing-coach earlier this month and said he would set expectations early and his players would know what’s required.

“A lot of that will come down to really high standards, really high accountability and setting expectations early,’’ he said.

“But a super high communication level. I think that’s what’s needed at this level now.”

Hallahan wants to leave a lasting legacy as Sorrento coach.“I just really want to get Sorrento back to that place of where it’s that formidable team and you’ve got that Sorrento culture,” he said.