East Brighton has added two coaches it feels will propel it into the SFNL Division 1 finals

East Brighton has pinpointed the gaps that kept it from the Southern league Division 1 finals and has addressed them off the field.

Left to right: Christian Woodford, Nick Jewell and Kerryn Roadley.

East Brighton has identified the “holes” that kept it from the Southern league Division 1 finals and has tackled them off the field.

The Vampires missed the post-season by just four per cent and coach Nick Jewell believes a boost to two layers of their coaching can propel them into the top five.

They’ve added high performance team Woodford Sports Science and former WAFL assistant coach Paul Vines to their ranks ahead of 2025.

Paul Vines was a star state-league player. Picture: Alf Sorbello

Christian Woodford will run the Vampires’ pre-season at Hurlingham Park and his facility in Moorabbin, aid in player preparation, recovery and deliver feedback on game day.

East Brighton has invested in GPS trackers which allow Woodford to assess player performance during games.

Jewell thinks the space between the Vampires’ bottom six players and other clubs’ is too big and believes having his group better prepared will be the solution.

“Getting the skill level improved dramatically is really hard but to get the mindset and physical performance out of the next tier and our under-19s coming up is vital,” Jewell said.

“We want to have an elite program and we identified there’s holes in it. We wanted the best so we went out and got the best.

“Match fitness we were OK but there is more things than that like injury prevention, recovery.

“I know from my playing days that if you prepared properly during the week you go in feeling a mentally a lot stronger about your performance.”

Left to right: Christian Woodford, Nick Jewell and Kerryn Roadley (co-owner of the Moorabbin gym).

The Vampires will have an under-19s team for the first time in a decade next season and Woodford will work that group too.

He has worked with the likes of AFL stars Josh Daicos, Tim Taranto and Andy McGrath.

“If we can improve their physical preparation, training standards, recovery, those across the club will get better,” Woodford said.

“The seniors, reserves, under-19s and junior programs too, it’s so important.

“The club has invested in GPS units as well so we will see their work rate when they come off.

“I will work with them up and down the boundary when they come off, help with the physical and mental preparation and get them ready to go back on.”

Kai Love-Linay (L) will be a welcome addition to the Vampires next year. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Ex-WAFL and SANFL star Paul Vines’ role is going to be specifically looking at the Vampires’ star-laden midfield.

With Ben Dessent coming in and Kai Love-Linay returning from a serious knee injury, the Vampires will regularly rotate their midfielders to the flanks.

Vines will monitor how the Vampires can maximise their best asset.

“He (Vines) was a terrific player in his own right and then went down the coaching path,” Jewell said.

“He’s brought coaching structure in our midfield, set ups, roles of high half forwards etc.

“He’s someone with an attention to detail who will focus on that part of the game solely, he brings a different way of thinking and what he brings is an absolutely elite level of footy IQ.”

The Vampires have also added small forward Tommy Evans ahead of 2025.