Outer East: Yarra Glen president gives coaching search update
Yarra Glen president Vincent Erickson explains where his Outer East Division 2 club is at with securing a senior coach for next season, as it continues to hunt a further line-up of coaches across its programs for 2021.
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Yarra Glen president Vincent Erickson is hopeful his club can soon begin locking away a senior coach among a number of vacancies for 2021 as it navigates the coronavirus crisis.
The AFL Outer East Division 2 outfit finished in sixth position last year with an 8-8 record, as it missed the finals for the first time in three seasons.
The Thunder have advertised for a full line-up of coaches, including seniors, reserves, women’s, veterans, and netball, and recently filled its under-19s role, but Erickson said the club wouldn’t rush its remaining decisions under the current lockdown.
“We’re not doing any interviews until we can do face-to-face,” Erickson said.
“We’re looking for a full squad of coaches, netball coaches as well which is a big concern for us because there hasn’t been any interest … but we’ll keep hunting.”
The Yarra Glen senior coaching position opened up in late June after the club announced that mentor Leigh Thomson had stepped down from the role due to family reasons.
Erickson paid tribute to the outgoing Thomson and said development of the club’s young talent would be a priority for his successor.
“(We’re seeking) someone who has obviously coached before (and) we want someone who’s able to develop the young kids coming through and to be able to help us recruit,” Erickson said.
“Leigh was really good … coming in towards the end of pre-season was pretty tough, but he was really good.
“I’m pretty sure he’s still going to be involved at the club at some point next year. It was a real shame that he couldn’t go on.”
Erickson said the club would aim to recruit key talls in preparation for season 2021, to complement a number of under-19s slated for senior football.
“We probably need a full forward and a ruckman, another key backman would be good too, but key position players are what we’re really chasing,” he said.
(The list) just needs a bit of polishing, that’s all – the young kids coming through from under-19s, probably some of them will play senior football as well.”
The salary cap in the AFL Outer East’s Division 2, third tier competition will be $60,000 in 2021, while the neighbouring EFL’s third tier – Division 2 – is set to be $70,000, Division 3 set for $60,000 and Division 4, $50,000.
Erickson believes that while the reduced caps across both leagues could help his club in its pursuit up the ladder, it would not lose sight of developing its youth.
“I think the salary cap might help us to a certain extent with the EFL’s being cut, ours is being cut too but not to the level of theirs,” he said.
“It’s just a juggling act every year isn’t it? Your salary cap’s one thing but your club budget’s another.
“We’re going back to the kids and (we were) putting time and effort into those for a development year (this year), but we’ve missed that season now.
“We look at Woori-Yallock in our league, they put time into their kids and ended up with half a dozen gun footballers and helped win all those flags.”
Anyone interested in applying for any of the listed coaching roles at Yarra Glen should email yarraglenfnc@gmail.com.
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