MPCA: Boneo appoints Jason Albress as senior coach
New Boneo coach Jason Albress wants to make the Pandas difficult to play against in the MPCA next season.
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The MPCA’s Pandas might be more like the Bad News Bears next season under new coach Jason Albress.
Albress, 44, wants Boneo to be more combative, with a tougher attitude, as it strives for high honours in Sub District.
“They’ve been a bit easy to play against,” Albress said on Thursday.
“I’m confident that will change next season and there will be a really distinguished game plan.
“And I’d like to think the players from the firsts down to the thirds and fourths will understand their roles within the team and the club.”
Albress, who has signed on as non-playing coach, says he’s excited by the challenge of guiding Boneo, which finished seventh last season.
He makes the move after almost two decades at Main Ridge, where he played about 200 games and was a fine spinning all-rounder.
“I don’t think Boneo are that far away,” Albress said.
“With the players they’ve got, with a little bit of direction, they can have some sustained success.
“It was a hard decision to leave Main Ridge, but at the same time it was a pretty easy decision to sign on with Boneo because it’s pretty exciting I reckon.
“They’re a small club and that also appealed to me.
“They often batted above their weight division as far the teams around them, but with Ryan Jellie and Chris Jobling there, you won’t get a better couple of blokes.”
Albress said there were several players capable of captaining Boneo.
Past skipper Jellie wants to just play without the burden of leadership.
“We’ll work that out over pre season,” Albress said.
“There are a few candidates there, we’ve got some potential leaders there with Jack Beale and Chris King and Jarvis Anderson ...and if someone wants to join our club from outside there will be an opportunity for them.”
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