Sandringham Dragons coach Jackson Kornberg becomes senior VFL coach

Sandringham Dragons coach Jackson Kornberg will make the move to the VFL after one season in the NAB League.

Jackson Kornberg at the Sandringham Dragons huddle this year. Picture: Stuart Milligan

The Sandringham Dragons will go into 2022 with a new head coach after Jackson Kornberg accepted a role with AFL club Gold Coast.

The 28-year-old will coach the Suns’ VFL team.

The Dragons told their players of the decision in an online meeting tonight.

Kornberg was involved in the Dragons’ program in junior squads and development before landing the NAB League position at the end of last season.

He coached the boys and girls teams this year, taking a talent-packed boys side to an 8-1 record before the season was cut short by Covid.

Kornberg admitted he was surprised to be approached by the Suns.

“It’s really only been the last couple of days that it’s come to fruition. It’s moved pretty quickly,’’ he said.

Jackson Kornberg at Carlton AFLW in 2017.

Asked if he had always aspired to join an AFL club, Kornberg said: “I think I said 12 months ago when I got the Dragons role, I just wanted to coach full-time.

“I didn’t really care where that was, but I wanted to coach and not do it as a hobby.

“I was really happy to do that at the Dragons and as to where it ended up in the future, I was always open to different things.’’

Kornberg became head coach of the Dragons at the end of 2020, after Josh Bourke stepped aside, unable to commit to a full-time role.

He had joined the Sandy Dragons as a teenager, working as an assistant with the Under 14s and 15s and doing stats for the Under 18s while sitting in the box with Justin Plapp (whom he will join in VFL coaching ranks next year).

Kornberg was an assistant line coach in 2015, with the midfield, and switched to the forward line in 2016 when the Dragons won the premiership under Jeremy Barnard.

He was a midfield assistant again in 2017 and ’18, and became the Under 16 head coach and the Under 18 head of development in 2019.

Kornberg also took on positions outside of the Dragons, linking with the Vic Metro Under 18 Youth Girls team, which won the 2015 national title.

There were also stints with the North Melbourne and Carlton AFLW teams.

“I’ve been there 11 years … it was a really difficult decision to leave,’’ Kornberg said of his departure from the Dragons.

“Probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make. Dragons is the only club I’ve ever been at. It wasn’t a snap decision I made. I had to take a while to consider it. Dragons is a club I’ve grown to love and I’ve got strong relationships with the staff and the players and the region.’’

Dragons talent ID manager Mark Wheeler said he was pleased for Kornberg and the Sandringham program.

He said Kornberg served a long apprenticeship in the various under-age squads and had impressed all the way through.

“It’s a great reward for him, and it’s good to see these young guys come through the NAB League and get their opportunity at a higher level,’’ Wheeler said.