Craig Black appointed coach of Collingwood VFL
A TAC Cup premiership mentor will coach the Magpies’ second-tier team, which will be part of a new 22-team competition next year.
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Black it is for the VFL black and white.
Former Frankston player and Dandenong Stingrays coach Craig Black has been appointed coach of Collingwood’s state league team.
Black, 41, started with the Magpies in a pathways/development role late in the 2018 season, combining it for a time with his Stingrays duties.
He signed off from his five-year tenure in the TAC Cup by steering the Stingrays to their first premiership.
Black had captained the Rays in 1997 and played in a losing grand final team.
He said last night that he was honoured to be asked to coach Collingwood’s VFL side, which next year will compete in a 22-team competition taking in six clubs from the NEAFL.
Black takes over from former Geelong champion Garry Hocking, who had been appointed for the 2020 season that never went ahead because of COVID-19.
Hocking was one of a number of Collingwood coaches let go because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Whenever any of these positions come up, VFL and NAB League, that high standard of football, it’s always an honour and a privilege to coach at that level,’’ Black said.
“Especially at a club like Collingwood, with all that history. It’s actually a bit surreal at the moment. But, yeah, really excited about the opportunity the club has given me and I’ve got to make sure I take it with both hands and do the best I can.
“At the same time I do feel a little bit guilty in a way because people who have been so good to me and I’d built really good relationships with, like ‘Buddha’ (Hocking), have lost their roles.
“It’s been a really tough year for a lot of people in football. You fell for all of them.’’
Black turned to coaching after injuries cut short his playing career.
A midfielder, he was drafted to Carlton, had two years with the Blues and returned to his Mornington Peninsula roots by joining Frankston VFL.
He played some fine matches for the Dolphins but shoulder problems gave him no peace; he missed more games than he played. A neck injury shunted him into retirement at the end of 2007.
Black coached Somerville in 2008 and later joined the Stingrays as an assistant to Graeme Yeats, taking over from the former Melbourne back pocket in 2014.
Another former Demon, Brett Lovett, played a part in Black’s coaching journey.
“Probably from the age of 22 I suffered quite a few injuries and when ‘Lovey’ was coaching at Frankston he gave me some responsibility … I was doing some vision and sitting in the coaching box when I wasn’t playing, and I really enjoyed it,’’ he said.
“It went from there … at the Stingrays ‘Yeater’ was fantastic and so was ‘Flanno’ (former region manager Darren Flanigan), getting me involved, making me feel part of it.
“That development side of it … you get a thrill turning on the TV and seeing young men you coached now playing in the AFL and trying to fulfil their dreams. I love that part of footy.’’
There is speculation that the AFL clubs with VFL teams will be diluting their programs as they look to pull back on costs next year.
Black said he was unsure how the Magpies would approach it but he expected the club to run a list of at least 12 VFL players and source top-ups from the NAB League.
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