SFNL: St Paul’s McKinnon president Paul Commerford explains what coach the Dogs are after
St Paul’s McKinnon has a strategic plan and president Paul Commerford says the incoming senior coach will play a huge role in that. See what the club wants from its next coach.
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Experience and innovation sits above all else for St Paul’s McKinnon when selecting its next senior coach.
Club president Paul Commerford says the Dogs are looking for someone with elite-level experience that can follow the club’s strategic plan.
“We’re looking for new innovation with a bit of AFL-VFL experience that can carry our under-19 and juniors through at least a three-four year stint,” he said.
“We try and hold our coaches for a while, we’re looking for someone that can follow our strategic plan that we have made up.
“We have a strategic plan that is based around our culture, history of the club, bringing youth through and winning premierships.
“We’re hopefully looking for a VFL-AFL person that can bring a bit of innovation and a new voice.”
The Bulldogs will have an under-19 side for the first time since 2017 and Commerford says the new senior coach will ideally work with that group as well.
“Yeah absolutely, 100 per cent,” he said.
“We haven’t had an under-19 side for about five or six years but we do next year, we have an under-17 side coming through.
“We want the new senior coach to be across all three teams, it’s not just a senior strategic plan, it’s for all of us.”
While the process to replace Heffernan has already begun, Commerford praised the premiership coach for his everlasting impact on the Dogs.
“He’s been absolutely incredible,” he said.
“When he announced it, he said: ‘it would be easy for me to stay but for the good of the club I am stepping down’.
“He won a premiership in 2018, had seven years on and off with Covid, we’re super proud of how he conducted himself on and off the field.
“He’s been fantastic.”
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