Sunbury appoints Travis Hodgson as Ballarat Football League coach
SUNBURY has ended weeks of speculation about its vacant coaching position by appointing Bacchus Marsh premiership mentor Travis Hodgson for 2019.
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SUNBURY has ended weeks of speculation about its vacant coaching position by appointing Bacchus Marsh premiership mentor Travis Hodgson for 2019.
Hodgson, who led the Cobras to the Ballarat Football League flag in 2016, had been linked with a return to Clarke Oval, where he played in two premierships in 1996 and 1997.
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The 41-year-old, who has held coaching roles at North Albury, Myrtleford, Fitzroy Stars and Bacchus Marsh, said he had long held a desire to return to Sunbury.
“It was more about the timing,” Hodgson said.
“Sunbury first had a crack at me in 2008, when I was playing coach at North (Albury). “Timing is the key thing. I’d expected to be back coaching Sunbury in 2020, that was the most likely scenario from both ends.
“It’s come a little bit quicker than I thought. I would have been surprised if I didn’t end up coaching there one day.”
Hodgson has four children — Chloe, Holly, Joel and Jayden — who played junior football at Sunbury this year and was coach of the club’s under-18 girls team in the Essendon District league.
He plans to continue the dual roles next year as Holly graduates from the Lions’ under-15 team to play under-18s.
“I have loved my time coaching Bacchus Marsh, but in the end, the grind of travel over three seasons just got too much,” he said.
“That ultimately, when that is the reason for your departure, it’s pretty logical that Sunbury is a great fit.
“I live in the town, my four kids play there. I am a Sunbury junior, premiership player, it’s where I started.”
Sunbury missed BFL finals for the first time in more than two decades this year, finishing eighth.
Hodgson said there were “definitely some areas for improvement” on the club’s senior list, highlighting midfield depth, an experienced key defender and additional goalkicking power.
“Where they finished on the ladder is probably a pretty accurate reflection of where the list is at,” he said.
The experienced coach replaces Ben Jordan, who had a 52 per cent winning record during his two years in charge.
“This is enormous for us in a range of ways,” Sunbury president Hedley Duhau said.
“It’s enormous for us in regards to the development of our players and recruitment and just in regards to our playing list.
“But also a marketing angle, in regards to what Travis brings to the club.
“A lot of past players, I think, will come back to the club, just to watch Travis coach.
“It’s huge for us having a local guy, well respected locally, come back to the club.”
Hodgson said the playing style his Sunbury team adopted would be largely dependent on the success of its recruiting.
“Bacchus Marsh was a completely different style to how I coached at North Albury, for example,” he said. ‘
“Just based on what we end up with as a list and develop a style from there.
“Sunbury’s ground is a bit unique in its size, it’s a huge ground. Most Sunbury sides play a certain way based on that.”
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