VAFA 2019: Bill Irving elevated to senior coaching role at West Brunswick
West Brunswick’s new VAFA coach certainly fits the bill.
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West Brunswick’s new VAFA coach certainly fits the bill.
The Magpies have promoted Bill Irving, who served as an assistant coach to premiership mentor Angus Hamilton, to the top job at Ransford Oval.
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The 34-year-old, who joined West Brunswick in 2012 from Old Melburnians, said he was relishing the challenge of senior coaching after serving as Hamilton’s assistant for several years.
The club has engineered a role swap to keep Hamilton involved and he will be Irving’s right-hand man in his first year in the job.
“He gave me a lot of autonomy last year,” Irving said.
“I’m just leaning on him as much as I can but he’s also giving me the space to do my own thing a bit as well.”
The Magpies finished seventh in Division 1 last season, five games outside the finals spots.
But their campaign was defined by three defeats of four points or less, leaving Irving optimistic a top-four spot is within reach.
“On one level it was a very good season because we consolidated in the higher grade,” he said.
“If we had been offered that at the start of the year we probably would have taken it.
“But knowing we lost a couple of close games, it was a bit disappointing, knowing we actually weren’t that far off the pace.
“This season, it’s trying to rectify a few of the things that made us lose those games and it’s really simple stuff.”
Tom Stokes (Powelltown) is the major omission from last year’s team, however West Brunswick has bolstered its stocks with several interstate arrivals.
Irving, who has booted 103 goals from 49 games in the past three seasons, will continue as a player while juggling his coaching responsibilities.
“That’s why it’s so good having (Hamilton) on the sidelines,” he said.
“Last year I was making decisions on the field, but it’s a completely different thing when you are a playing coach.
“That’s why I am so lucky to have such an experienced coach on the sidelines. I’ll be leaning on him a lot during the season.”
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