MPFNL: Tyabb parts ways with coach after Round 2
The first coaching casualty of the local footy season has occurred in the Mornington Peninsula league, with a revered figure departing in surprising circumstances.
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The decision was made in a meeting on Monday night.
Tyabb parted ways with senior coach Anthony Agius just two games into the 2023 season — and 10 days after the Yabbies started with a rousing win over Rye.
Tyabb president Ray Hallal said the club was going in a different direction and it was an “amicable’’ parting between the Yabbies and Agius.
“We had a meeting Monday night with Ant and the executive,’’ he said.
“We just had a good chat. It was good back and forth conversation, very amicable and we came to a mutually beneficial decision to part ways. That’s the direction we went down.”
Matt Haverfield and Sam Fox have taken over as Tyabb’s co-coaches, with Corey Buchan and Dale Sutton as assistant coaches.
Agius was appointed Tyabb coach in September, 2021 and led the Yabbies to 2-15 last season.
“He’s a very good man,” Hallal said.
“And that was the hardest thing about it all. It’s never easy parting ways with your senior coach but when it’s such a revered member of the MPNFL and such a quality person, a good football person, yeah, it’s not easy.
“I didn’t take it lightly, it was not on a whim or anything like that.
“We thank him for his time and effort, he really helped re align the football department and really helped us in recruiting in the off season as well.
“He’s left us in a better position, absolutely.”
Agius was a champion full-forward in the MPNFL in the 1990s and 2000s, kicking hundreds of goals and playing in some of the greatest sides of the modern era.
He played in two premierships at Edi-Asp (including one as captain) and was a key member of Seaford’s three-peat in 2007-09. He also won a league best and fairest at Rosebud.
As a coach, Agius achieved the ultimate, leading Seaford to the ’09 flag.
He also coached East Brighton.
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