Geelong Falcons find new talent boss with Bree Beckley

Tom Lonergan may be gone from the job as talent manager at the Geelong Falcons but his advice will be crucial for his replacement.

Bree Beckley has will take over as the Geelong Falcons talent operations lead.

Incoming Geelong Falcons talent boss Bree Beckley will go into one of local football’s most important roles with a “very open mind” and strong advice from two respected mentors.

Beckley will take over as talent operations lead at the Falcons from Tom Lonergan, after the former Cats defender recently moved to a talent role at Carlton.

Having worked under Lonergan and for a brief time under legendary Falcons boss Mick Turner, Beckley said she has learned plenty, and has plenty more to learn.

Bree Beckley at Geelong's VFLW training at Deakin.

“They have both been absolutely great mentors and I was only with Mick a short period of time before Covid hit but I obviously worked pretty close with ‘Domsy’ (Lonergan) over the last couple of years,” she said.

“They have taught me a lot in my role and hopefully I can take it into this role full time.

“I’ll go in with a very open mind. I still have a lot of learning and growing to do that is for sure.”

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Beckley has been sitting in for Lonergan over the past few weeks and will start officially in the job on January 23, after she hands over her role as AFL Barwon’s female football co-ordinator.

She said she was keen to not help Falcons coaches Paul Corrigan and Mel Hickey work with the region’s brightest talent on a pathway to the AFL Draft but to any level of football.

Tom Lonergan has joined Carlton as he works here with Charlie Curnow. Picture by Michael Klein

“If kids are aspiring to get drafted I would really love to help them achieve that I also just want to help them develop in that team environment,” she said.

“If that (the draft) doesn’t work out for them I always support them returning to their local club and finding another pathway.”

What the new job at the Falcons means for Beckley’s own playing career is yet to be seen.

An important member of Geelong’s VFLW side over the past three years, Beckley is still hopeful of playing on.

“Falcons is definitely a priority for me but if I can get down to the training track at VFLW or with my local club (St Mary’s) and play a few games I would definitely take that,” she said.

Originally published as Geelong Falcons find new talent boss with Bree Beckley