Outer East league: Powelltown appoints Ben Wratten as senior coach

Ben Wratten talks about his snap decision to take over as Powelltown coach and how he plans to fill the void left by the departure of a bunch of premiership stars.

Powelltown champion Ben Wratten goes up in the ruck. Picture: Facebook

Ben Wratten is clear on what he wants to achieve as senior coach of Powelltown in 2024.

“Enjoyment is number one,” he said.

“And I want the players to run the club so I’ve already appointed assistant coaches (James Ashby and Brendan “Spud” Murphy) that are good friends of mine and I know they’re going to stick by me.

“The main thing will be bringing enjoyment into it.”

Champion player Wratten dives into the coaching waters sooner than he expected.

Powelltown, after winning back-to-back Outer East league flags in Division 2, has undergone major changes.

Powelltown’s Adam Oxley takes a big mark last season. Picture: BH Photography

Coach Jarrod Bayliss stepped down and has since joined Coldstream as senior coach.

Four Powelltown players have followed him to Coldstream: Chris Moreland, Gary Conyers, Jake Sheriff and Brock Castree.

And key forward Joel Perry has also left to play at The Basin in the EFL.

They are big outs.

“They are but everyone’s replaceable,” Wratten said.

“You can’t shoot them down for following Jarrod because he’s 90 percent of the reason they all came up there.

“It just means I have to get to work which I’m excited about.

“Over the last week I think I’m starting to get the hang of it and making phone calls and chatting with people who were at the club and might want to come back. I’m excited.

“It’s going to be a challenge but something I’m up for.”

Wratten won his fourth consecutive league best and fairest medal in August, stamping himself as a great of the competition.

But he admits the coaching role came sooner than he expected.

“It’s always something I’ve wanted to do,” he said.

“I just didn’t think it would be this quick.

“And obviously learning under Jarrod you sort of get the bug for it when you listen to him speak and all the respect that he has.”

Wratten said he jumped at the chance to coach his beloved “Powelly”, even surprising his fiance Jess.

“I had a chat with the president and they felt like I was probably the best candidate for it,” he said.

“I had a chat with my missus and I sort of jumped the gun a bit. I said I’d think about it for a week or so and then two or three hours later I committed to it and let her know.”

Powelltown will chase a three-peat of premierships in ‘24. Wratten wants the club to be sustainable.

“There was a whisper around that there could have been a mass exodus,” he said.

“I love Powelly and I didn’t want to see that happen so I want to do everything I can to help them because they’re a fantastic club.”

Another of Wratten’s priorities is to “rekindle” the relationship between the club’s footballers and netballers. The club didn’t have club rooms last season, but new rooms in ‘24 will see the club reunite.

Wratten also intends to give opportunities to young players.

“We’ve got a lot of good young players I’ve spoken to who were up and down last year and now with a few leaving it gives them a chance and they are definitely capable players,’’ he said.

“My first point of contact was to touch base with those guys and let them know I’ve taken over and I think they can play senior footy and be great people for Powelly.

“A lot of them were there before me so I just wanted to get behind them like they have me over the last four or five years.”