Epping reveals its new coaching structure, recruiting plans for 2022

NFL Division 2 club Epping has appointed co-coaches to replace Aaron Johnson with the pair revealing their hopes and recruiting plans for 2022.

Epping's new co-coaches Aaron Newport and Glen Lehner.

It will be a the-more-the-merrier approach at Epping in 2022.

The Pingers have appointed co-coaches, Aaron Newport and Glen Lehner, to replace Aaron Johnson next season as they look to jump up the NFL Division 2 ladder.

Johnson stepped down in August after the club advertised the coaching position mid-season.

Newport and Lehner arrive having already worked together for more than 10 years at Whittlesea and in the Northern Football League representative program.

Lehner said it would hold them in good stead stepping up to a senior coaching job.

“Aaron and I have known each other for 15 years, our boys grew up playing footy together and we’ve coached sides together before,” he said.

“We thought it was a good opportunity to go and try something we haven’t done before and we thought two heads were better than one.

“Between us there’s about 25 years of coaching experience, so we think that will hold us in good stead.

“We know Epping has got a young group and they’re trying to build on what Johno started, we’re hoping we can put it all together and take this group on a bit of a journey.”

Lehner has previously served as coach of the NFL under-15 representative team, reserves coach at Jacana and Whittlesea, assistant coach for Mernda’s senior women’s team and Whittlesea juniors coaching co-ordinator.

Newport has been Whittlesea Juniors vice-president, coaching the Eagles’ under-19 boys and under-14 girls teams and been assistant coach to Blair Harvey in the 2019 premiership season.

Epping captain Leigh Judd has eyes for the ball. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The variety of coaching experiences is what has driven them to take the reins at Epping.

“The one thing Aaron and I are really passionate about is development,” Lehner said.

“That was one of the key things that drew me to go down to Mernda, because I’d never been involved in women’s footy before, I was like let’s go have an experience and see what it’s like.

“We want to develop a team, it’s not just about developing footballers, it’s about developing people as well.”

Epping finished 2021 in ninth in Division 2 with two wins to its name but didn’t play wooden spooner Fitzroy Stars and only faced Watsonia once.

The club has some impressive talent, headlined by VFL-listed midfielder Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, skipper Leigh Judd, Jackson Freebairn, James Tadd, Sage Dicello and Michael Jacobson.

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Lehner hopes to complement the existing talent with some targeted recruiting.

“The retention plans are going well, speaking to the footy manager, a lot of the players have already been retained,” he said.

“Recruitment wise, Aaron and I know a lot of young men that we’ve coached over the years.

“We want to recruit some speed and a couple of tall guys, talls guys are always hard to find, but one thing I like is a guy who’s got some speed and runs both ways.”