NFNL: Vince Dattoli named Danny Nolan’s Heidelberg replacement
Heidelberg has confirmed its replacement for outgoing premiership coach Danny Nolan with a number of key factors standing out for the new mentor.
Northern
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern. Followed categories will be added to My News.
New coach, same mentality.
That’s how Heidelberg is set to approach its 2023 Northern Football Netball League premiership defence under Vince Dattoli.
The Tigers have confirmed Dattoli has Danny Nolan’s replacement after the premiership coach moved on to chase new work opportunities.
Dattoli has been appointed after impressing the Tigers committee.
“He’s been involved with us for a couple of years as an assistant senior coach,” Tigers president Tim Wilson said.
“With Danny getting a job opportunity to move interstate and Vinnie having more time to get involved as coach, it was a seamless transition.”
Dattoli brings a wealth of experience.
He has coached in the Northern Football League for more than a decade and coached West Preston Lakeside to the Division 1 premiership in 2010.
He also coached Heidelberg’s under 19 team in 2017.
Wilson said the club did look outside their four walls at other coaches but Dattoli was who the club wanted.
“Yeah we did (look), we always do,” he said.
“What Vinni presented to us was what we planned for next year. We’ve got the sustainability model we have to adhere to.
“The focus is to strengthen our junior program and in the future we’ve got more local players in our team.”
Despite dropping just one game throughout 2022, Wilson believes there is still room for improvement in 2022.
“We’ve got some good youth coming through,” Wilson said.
“And we’ve not had retirees.”
The club will be looking for recruits and Wilson admits the team needs to be wary of others as Heidelberg becomes the hunted in the competition.
But the Tigers expect to be in the hunt.
“Other teams are always going to improve, so we have to be faster, fitter and stronger,” he said.
“To win one is hard enough, let alone more.
“But we don’t want to settle (for one premiership).
Northern clubs make recruiting splash
RECRUIT TRACKER: Northern league clubs have combined to sign more than 150 recruits for 2025, including ex-AFL, VFL-listed talents and promising young guns.
Whittlesea’s one big lesson from straight sets exit
Having crashed out of finals in straight sets this season, Whittlesea is taking a different approach to season 2025 and has secured the return of several juniors.