Nathan Wilson to lead Hampton Park into Division 2
A senior coaching job has come to the Doveton and Doveton Eagles premiership player earlier than he expected but he can’t wait to get going with the Redbacks.
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Nathan Wilson went to Hampton Park this year as an assistant coach.
Without a ball being bounced he’s wound up as the senior coach.
Wilson was Clint “Bully’’ Wilson’s right-hand man when the Doveton Eagles won the Division 2 premiership in 2019, and a few months later he crossed to the Redbacks to perform the same role for his former Doveton teammate Shannon Henwood.
But, without having coached a game because of COVID-19, Henwood stood down two weeks ago and returned to Doveton.
On Monday night Wilson – “Nanga’’ to everyone in the southeast sporting scene – was appointed to replace him.
At 36 a senior coaching position has come to him earlier than he expected but he’s eager to get started on it.
“The difference between having your own team and being under someone is massive,’’ Wilson said.
“I never really had any intentions to make it happen this quick. I was happy to work under ‘Shanny’, like I did under ‘Bully’. But I couldn’t be more excited now that’s it here. It’s something I always wanted to do when I finished playing but, yeah, I didn’t think it was going to come around so quick. I was maybe going to do a couple more years as an assistant. But it’s the way things panned out and I can’t wait to crack into it. Wish we were running out next week.’’
He will take to the role his experience of playing a lot of good senior football for the two Doveton clubs and standing at Clint Wilson’s side for two years at the Eagles.
He said the biggest thing he took out of his assistant’s role was Wilson’s preparation of the team in 2019.
“I sort of watched him develop his coaching before my eyes,’’ he said.
“The 2018 year, we were hot favourites all year and I guess Clint worried about our footy club rather doing the work on the opposition clubs. We looked after our own backyard.
“Losing that grand final to Highett, he developed a new respect for the opposition and the way he planned and the way he coached the last six weeks of 2019 was incredible, just how he analysed the other sides. That was a big lesson for me, the preparation.’’
He’s keen to have the big fellow involved at Hampton Park next year.
Wilson began his journey in senior football at the age of 16 with Doveton Eagles in 2001.
He crossed to Doveton in 2005, playing in Steve Henwood’s outstanding premiership team.
A return to the Eagles brought more premiership success in 2014.
Wilson went back to Doveton in 2015, only to suffer a serious neck injury that effectively ended his playing days.
After surgery he began coaching the club’s Under 18s and enjoyed it.
He joined the Eagles’ coaching panel in 2018.
Now he’ll be assembling his own panel as he leads the Redbacks into Division 2 in 2021 after their Division 3 premiership in 2019.
Having been involved in the Division 2 scene for the past two years, he thinks Hampton Park will be able to handle the rise in grades.
“Couldn’t be more excited … I think I’ve got a good understanding of all the teams, and having seen some Hampton Park games in the last couple of years as well, watching some old Doveton mates there … obviously we’ll add a couple of players to the list and I think we can be contenders,’’ Wilson said.
“I definitely think I’m lucky to be walking into the job. But before anything I’ve got to get the respect of the whole footy club.’’
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