NFL: Northcote Park appoints Steve Saddington as coach for 2021
Northern Football League Division 1 club Northcote Park has turned to a life member to lead it in 2021 after Barry Mitchell’s departure.
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Northcote Park has unveiled club great Steve Saddington as its senior coach for 2021.
Saddington is a dual premiership player at the Northern Football League Division 1 outfit, best-and-fairest winner and made about 200 appearances for the Cougars over a 15-year career.
The Northcote Park life member led North Heidelberg to two Division 2 flags – in 2014 and 2017 – during a successful four-year stint in the top job before taking on an assistant coaching role with Essendon District league Premier Division side Pascoe Vale.
The Cougars have also locked in two assistant coaches, with former St Bernard’s and Coburg Districts boss Chris Tankard signing on, along with Andrew Beever from Essendon Doutta Stars.
Chris Dalvean will coach the reserves team next year.
Saddington replaces former Carlton and Sydney midfielder and Northcote Park premiership player Barry Mitchell, who stepped down last month without leading the senior team in an official match.
President Joe Amad said the top-flight club “had a lot of applicants” for the position.
“He’s a good all-round person, good communicator and got a real passion for the joint,” Amad said of Saddington.
“I reckon he’s always wanted to coach us. He really knows the joint inside and out.
“He’s brought some assistants with him, so he’s got three assistants ready to go. We can only name two of them at the moment and the other one will be named soon.
“He knows his footy real well, knows the league, our list, where we’re at. We just felt he was the right person for the job.”
Northcote Park has lost boom recruit and ex-Essendon midfielder David Myers, who has returned home to Western Australia.
The Cougars also attracted Ben McNiece (Essendon), Tom Baravi (West Coburg), Jackson Williams (Frankston Bombers), Oliver McEwan (Albury Tigers), Jack Sammartino (Preston Bullants) and Reed Jepson (Epping) before the season was cancelled.
Amad said local clubs were entering “unknown territory” with salary caps cut by 50 per cent for next year amid the coronavirus crisis.
Northcote Park finished seventh on the Division 1 ladder with a 7-11 win-loss record in 2019.
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