New coaches and managers appointed for NAB League clubs

The AFL has locked in a number of new ‘regional talent operations leads’ and made coaching changes to the elite under-age competition.

Nick Cox will continue to coach the Dandenong Stingrays.

THE AFL has opened up five coaching positions in the NAB League as part of a revamp of the elite under-age competition.

There are vacancies at Sandringham Dragons, Eastern Ranges, Greater Western Victorian Rebels, Oakleigh Chargers and Western Jets, and the full-time positions will be advertised next week.

In confirming its new “organisational model’’, the AFL today also announced a number of new regional talent operations leads, formerly the region manager roles.

Sandringham Dragons football manager Toby Jedwab will cross to the Dandenong Stingrays, replacing Darren Flanigan, and former Cat Tom Lonergan has taken over from the long-serving Mick Turner at Geelong Falcons.

Paul Corrigan will coach the Falcons.

In another notable coaching move, Oakleigh’s Leigh Clarke has switched to Northern.

Mark Wheeler is staying on as operations lead at Sandringham Dragons, but he must find a new coach following the departure of Josh Bourke, who could not commit to a full-time role.

As part of the new model, age groups for all AFL talent pathway programs, including the NAB League Girls and Boys and the NAB AFL/AFLW National Championships, will be refocused from Under 16 and Under 18 levels to Under 17 and Under 19 in 2021.

The pathway calendar will closely align with the AFL and AFLW competitions.

The draft age will remain at 18 for both.

For the first-time, the coaches will be full-time and will coach the girls and boys programs.

They will be supported by assistants who will have experience working with girls and boys football programs.

“The AFL continues to work through a range of models for the 2021 NAB League season with the number of games played by girls and boys to be consistent with prior years,’’ the AFL said in a statement.

“National Championships and National Draft Combines will occur and allow national benchmarking.’’

NAB League Operational Model

Country

Bendigo Pioneers: Brooke Brown (regional talent operations lead), Damian Truslove (coach)

Dandenong Stingrays: Toby Jedwab, Nick Cox

GWV Rebels: Phil Partington, coaching vacancy.

Geelong Falcons: Tom Lonergan, Paul Corrigan

Gippsland Power: Scott McDougal, Rhett McLennan

Murray Bushrangers: Michael Wilson, Mark Brown

Metro

Calder Cannons: Matt Burton, Ross Smith

Eastern Ranges: Zac Kennedy, coaching vacancy

Northern Knights: Natalie Grindall, Leigh Clarke

Oakleigh Chargers: Jy Bond, coaching vacancy

Sandringham Dragons: Mark Wheeler, coaching vacancy

Western Jets: Luke Williams, coaching vacancy