SFNL: Lyndhurst has made a coaching change with bold ambitions for immediate success
Lyndhurst has farewelled its maiden premiership coach and is hopeful it has already found its next one. See the latest details.
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Shortly after parting ways with its last premiership coach, Lyndhurst has hopes it’s already found its next one.
Jae Williams, the coach that led the Lightning to a famous 2022 flag, has stepped down as senior coach and has been replaced by experienced mentor Andy Clarke.
Williams promised, then delivered, success to the Lightning but felt the players needed a “fresh voice”.
Clarke has nearly 300 games of senior experience as a player in the Mornington Peninsula league, carving out an accolade-laden career with Pines and Sorrento.
He went into coaching in rival south-eastern leagues before returning to the MPFNL to coach Seaford’s reserves side.
Clarke, 52, links with the Lightning with high hopes of immediate success.
“It’s only a young club and there is an abundance of young blokes and kids,” he said.
“They just missed finals, if you add one, two three or four and the kids develop, you’re not far away from challenging the top two or three.
“I am looking forward to getting back into it.”
Opposition clubs can expect aggression with and without the footy from the Clarke-led Lightning.
“I am huge on defense and pressure on the bloke with the footy, so you’ll hopefully see tackle numbers go through the roof when we haven’t got the footy,” he said.
“I am aggressive in that way but like blokes that play with a bit of flair (with the ball), I don’t want to take that away from them, as long as they’re playing within the team rules.”
Williams, meanwhile, is looking to remain near his “life-long friends” but hasn’t completely shut the door on coaching.
“They sat down with me last year and I promised to bring success to the club and we were lucky enough to reach the pinnacle in Div 4 in both seniors and reserves,” he said.
“This year we had a lot of injuries and I played 18 under-19 kids for the year, one kid was the youngest player at the club, a 16-year-old by the name of Kaide Robertson – that was special.
“The club and I agreed it would be good for someone else to come in, I said to the playing group in the last game that it was great to be around the club.
“I will stay around the club but a new point of view and new face will be good too.
“I have lifelong friends at the club, I only want the best for the club.”
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