Dingley reappoints star big man Danny Ades as playing coach
And the Dingoes are giving Ades plenty of support, with former league player Darren Kappler his senior assistant and Southern league great Liam Wilson steering the reserves.
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Danny Ades has been reappointed for a second year as playing coach of Dingley, without having completed the first.
The decorated big man took over from Shane Morwood at the end of 2019, which had brought more Division 1 premiership triumph for the Dingoes.
But his debut season in charge took in just one practice match, COVID-19 having the final say on 2020.
“I was always going to do it; I told the club at the start of this year that I would recommit regardless,’’ Ades was saying.
“Been a strange year for everyone, waiting to see if we would play. By the end it was getting really challenging, that unknown. I don’t think anyone was too disappointed when it got called off. While we all wanted to play, we were fairly conscious of bigger things being at hand.’’
The Dingoes had recruited well for their premiership defence, bringing in Matt Terich (Seaford), Cameron Hanson (St Kilda City), Jack Williams (Bonbeach), Aaron Dunn (Mt Eliza), Aaron Hodges (Old Mentonians) and Matt Edwards (Bendigo league).
Ades, a four-time flagger at Dingley, said his first task would be to “lock down’’ the 2020 list.
“At Dingley we prioritise our current list over recruiting players,’’ he said.
“That’s something I noticed even before I was an assistant under Shane, that they lock down the list and get all the existing players on board before they look around.
“It might be a bit more challenging this year without being able to go and physically sit in a room with players … but I’ve already reached out to everyone letting them I was planning on re-signing and got the backing of all the playing group again. I fully expect the whole list to re-sign. You never know but I’d be staggered if we lost anyone. I think we’ve got a pretty strong list and we expected to go pretty well this year. I think everyone wants to be part of that for next year.’’
Ades said the club would be “fine’’ with meeting the salary cap, which will drop from $150,00 to $100,000.
He said the players had “no issue’’ with not being paid if a shortened season had gone ahead this year.
“Even before the Southern league said the initial cap would be $30,000 for a half a season, I had our top 10 players, off their own bat, saying they would play for nothing,’’ Ades said.
“I think we’ve got a group that’s really happy to give back to a club that’s given them so much.
“I don’t think that will be a challenge at all. We’ve never had to fight to be under the cap. It’s not like we’re coming from sitting right under $150,000 and having to bring it back. We’re nowhere near that area.’’
Southern league great Liam Wilson will coach Dingley’s reserves.
Wilson played in two premierships and won two best and fairests at St Paul’s, and also landed two league medals.
He also took a best and fairest with Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup.
Former AFL wingman and Southern league premiership coach Darren Kappler will serve as senior assistant to Ades.
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