Jack Bianchin takes the coaching reins at St Mary’s, excited by club’s future

After a second straight club best-and-fairest, Jack Bianchin will hang up the boots to concentrate on coaching St Mary’s and he believes the club is ready for a big 2025.

St Mary's best-and-fairest winners Jack Bianchin and Rory Hanlon. Picture: Ridewood Photography

New St Mary’s coach Jack Bianchin believes the club can bounce back and compete for a premiership in 2025.

After sitting fourth for much of the season, the Burras fell out of the NFNL Division 2 top-five after a dramatic final round loss to Thomastown and missed finals.

It saw Fabian Carelli stand down and Bianchin jump at the chance to lead his junior club.

The star midfielder won his second straight club best-and-fairest last month, winning the medal in a tie with Rory Hanlon.

However, after a decorated career that includes a Division 1 premiership at Macleod, he will hang up the boots to concentrate on coaching.

Bianchin said the move into coaching at happened quickly but it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“It’s probably a couple of years earlier than I anticipated but getting towards the end of my playing career and the job came up,” Bianchin said.

“I’m really excited by the playing list, there’s enormous potential.

“You look at the junior base the club has coming through, the 17s are strong, the 16s had about five or six Vic Metro kids and the 19s were undefeated.

“We (seniors) got decimated by injuries and guys going overseas, I think next year in my eyes, we’ll be right up there.

“I did a bit of assistant coaching with Fab and I talk to Garry Ramsay at Whittlesea pretty regularly, he’s a mentor for me.

“It was always in the works but I think Fab resigned a lot earlier than we were expecting but opportunity presents and I thought why not.”

Bianchin praised Carelli’s development of the entire club.

Rory Hanlon in action for St Mary's. Picture: Nathan McNeill

The former coach led St Mary’s to the Division 3 premiership in 2018 and as far as a Division 2 preliminary final in 2023.

“Fab has been awesome, he’s laid the foundation,” Bianchin said.

“I might be the one that gets the benefit from all his great work.

“Trevor Little will be my senior assistant, as well as coach of the 19s, and he’s been great and we’re hopeful Phil Plunkett will stay on – we know how much he’s done at the level.”

After a heartbreaking finish to the year, St Mary’s will look to bounce back strongly in 2025.

Hanlon finished fifth in the Division 2 league best-and-fairest, while 2024 winner Tane Cotter was limited to just eight games due to overseas travel.

Joe Maggio and John Desmond were limited to eight games each, while off-season recruits Lincoln Zhang and Curtis Howden-Crhak played 12 and three senior games respectively.

Jeremiah Antypas led the club with 32 goals in 18 matches, while Jack Cicitta booted 24.

Bianchin was confident, with its best side on the park, St Mary’s would be a contender next year.

“We expect to compete for a flag, we’re not holding back,” he said.

“We had Tane Cotter, Joe Maggio, Lincoln Zhang all overseas and Vinny Loccisano didn’t play a game and we’re expecting to get him back.

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“Tane and Joe were leading the best-and-fairest before they left when we beat South Morang in Round 6, John Desmond missed most of the year and finished fourth in the best-and-fairest.

“We’ll have three or four (Northern) Knights kids full-time, Josh Carelli, Ty Kitchell and Will Dean, and Ryan Commandeur will still be there but he’s committed to us.

“We could have a completely new side in Round 1 next year compared to the team in Round 18.”

Emmison Zealley won the women’s football best-and-fairest, while Matthew Centofanti has taken on the reserve grade coaching role.