Melton Centrals secure Brisbane Lions’ premiership analyst as coach for RDFNL 2025

Melton Centrals has secured in-demand coach Damien Zanic, who was a key member of Brisbane Lions’ AFL premiership three-peat, for next Riddell District season.

President Paul Sinclair welcomes Damien Zanic to Melton Centrals.

Melton Centrals has beaten a number of clubs to sign Damien Zanic as coach.

The Riddell District club has locked in the in-demand coach for two seasons, acting swiftly to secure his services.

The Blues offered Zanic the job the morning after his first interview, saying he ticked all the right boxes.

Zanic played a key role in the Brisbane Lions’ AFL premiership three-peat in 2001-03 as an opposition analyst and spent time at VFL clubs Coburg, Port Melbourne and Williamstown.

He also spent three years with Calder Cannons, serving under Martin Allison, when the club won TAC Cup premierships in 2009 and 2010 and coached Northern league clubs Lalor and Watsonia.

Centrals president Paul Sinclair was rapt to have Zanic on board.

“He answered our ad and it went from there, he was talking to a few clubs,” Sinclair said.

“We interviewed him and he was extremely impressive, exactly what we need, and we acted as fast as we could so we got in first.

“We decided to offer him the job the morning after we interviewed him.

“He’s had experience at the Brisbane Lions and sat in the box with Leigh Matthews when they were in Melbourne.

“He lives in Gowanbrae so he’s a local, he ticks every box we were looking for.”

Sinclair is confident the club is set for a big 2025.

Zanic takes the reins from Matt Sproule after he returned to the club for one season.

Centrals had an impressive end to the RDFNL season, defeating reigning premier Diggers Rest and pushing preliminary finalist Macedon to 15 points in the final fortnight.

Jake Armistead was the club’s sole Team of the Year representative, while the likes of Dylan Jobson, Evan Donoghue, Dylan McDonald, Caleb Higgins, James Roberts, Hayden Sproule and Adam Tomac were among the league’s best young guns.

Jobson finished the season with 20 goals in 12 matches to lead the club’s goalkicking, while Brad Layton finished with 19 in 16 appearances.

The majority of Centrals playing group as re-signed with the exception of Jacob and Will Thornton-Gielen who have returned to junior club Melton South for it’s RDFNL return.

Recruits Anthony Piva and Ajdin Elkasovic had already signed on before Zanic’s appointment.

Sinclair believed Zanic was the right man to develop the club’s young talent.

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“I’d say the majority of our list is under 25 and he’ll be perfect for them,” he said.

“The last two games of the year, we took Macedon very close and beat Diggers, so add the coach and some recruits it’s going to be good.

“We’ve got 16 players that haven’t stopped training.

“The end of the season was very positive and the young kids want to have a good pre-season.”