VAFA: University Blues appoint Steve Grace as coach for two years
A man with coaching experience at three AFL clubs who is familiar with the VAFA will be calling the shots at top-flight power Uni Blues for the next two seasons.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Defending premier University Blues have locked in Steve Grace as coach for the next two seasons.
Grace, who has held coaching roles with AFL clubs Fremantle, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, replaces Heath Jamieson who steered the Victorian Amateur Football Association Premier club to its first top-flight flag in 15 years in 2019.
The experienced Grace has coached VFL club Footscray and NAB League outfit Oakleigh Chargers, while he also worked in several roles at Sandringham.
Grace is familiar with the VAFA, having called the shots at Ormond for three years from 1998-2000 and featuring in two premierships. He also coached Phillip Island for a season in 1996.
“We’re absolutely pumped,” Uni Blues president Tim Rourke said.
“Exactly the guy we wanted. He’s going to be fantastic.
“He’s got a pretty rich history in the VAFA – two premierships, coached, his dad was president of Ormond for a good decade nearly.
“He’s also done a lot in the AFL. Every single person we spoke to couldn’t have been more impressed with not just his football skills but how good he is with young guys and particularly developing them.”
Rourke said Grace would bring a similar skill-set to Jamieson, who vacated the top job for family reasons and will move to live in Queensland.
Grace, whose experience at AFL level spans nine years, has not previously been involved at the Blues but takes charge of a talent-laden senior squad.
The club’s premiership team featured nine ex-AFL players – Josh Green, Cameron O’Shea, Ayce Cordy, Luke Russell, Ross Young, Tom Young, Kieran Harper, Jeremy Taylor and Piers Flanagan.
Green and Taylor have since departed, but the Blues have gained former AFL pair Jay Kennedy-Harris and Sam Grimley.
Asked if Grace’s history in the VAFA was a vital factor, Rourke said: “I don’t think it’s important but it doesn’t hurt.
“Being the only non-school club in A grade, you’ve just got to be really mindful of that because other people – whether you like it or not – their heart can be somewhere else, even though they’re coaching you.
“For us, it’s about selecting someone who has a good reason to be passionate about looking after the one non-school team and understand what that’s like and understand it’s a club that everyone has made a choice to be at.”
While Grace has signed on for two seasons, Rourke is hoping the union lasts much longer.
“We’d like to, and he’s of the same mindset, get a coach for five or so years – as long as they want to coach,” he said.
“He’d like to coach for as long as he could. He doesn’t want to go back to VFL – he wants to build a build a footy club and community at a lower level. It’s perfect for us.”
Grace is a teacher at De La Salle College and has qualifications in physical education, sociology and sports management.
MORE LEADER LOCAL FOOTY NEWS
NEW COACHES, MANAGERS FOR NAB LEAGUE CLUBS