SFNL: Chelsea Heights has received a big boost ahead of the 2025 season

A former St Kilda player has made a return to the Southern league where he will fill a new role. Here are the details.

Nathan Wright playing for Beaconsfield. Picture: Darvis Harrigan/Field Of View Photography

He’s back in the red and blue.

Ex-AFL Saint Nathan Wright has returned to former club Chelsea Heights after a season at Eastern league club Beaconsfield.

Wright, 30, played 17 matches for the Demons in their 2023 campaign before joining the Eagles this year.

Wright, who played 35 AFL games at St Kilda between 2013 and 2018, is returning to Chelsea Heights as an assistant coach.

Dees footy manager Lee Thwaites said Wright’s return was a big lift for the club after it was relegated at the expense of Narre Warren this season.

“It’s good that he’s reached out to see if a role was available and he was interested in coming back in some capacity,” he said.

“Senior assistant coach role is something we’ve been wanting to fill to help Robbo (coach Nathan Robinson) out and it’s something we’ve lacked in the last few years.

“We needed someone who was going to commit and give the effort during the week and on gameday, so him putting his hand up, wanting to come back is a good sign.

“For someone to want to come back shows what we were doing has stuck in his mind and he wants to be a part of it again.”

Wright has committed to be a non-playing assistant coach but Thwaites suspects his former teammates will be in his ear.

“We’ll let time be the judge of that,” he said.

“I dare say come March there will be some pressure from the players to see him put the boots on and get out there.

“But at the moment we’re happy for him to get stuck into the assistant coaching role and enjoy his time back at the club.”

Wright said returning was an “easy decision”.

“I’m excited to be back at the club for season 2025, returning to the Heights was an easy decision due to the people involved and the club’s strong desire to achieve the ultimate success again,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with the entire playing and coaching group and developing the next wave of talent coming through.”

Nathan Wright back in the red and blue. Picture: Supplied.

Chelsea Heights has had a steady off season.

Premiership player Luke Clark will play the entire season after travelling for much of 2024 while youngster Kaide Robertson is the only departure, joining Division 3 club Lyndhurst.

The Demons are backing in the group which was ravaged by injury this season.

“We’ve retained majority of the list, we’re just looking to bring in young depth,” Thwaites said.

“We’re happy to go down the young talent path and we’re on the cusp on landing a few good ones, it’s just getting them in and around the club.

“Keeping the list together (was our focus), we think it’s good enough to hopefully be playing finals football, if we can add some young depth that will give us the edge to push for it.”