AFL great determined to coach banished country football team
They might not have won a game in almost five years, building a reputation as Victoria’s worst football team in the process, but an AFL legend has declared he’s ready to lead struggling Ardmona.
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Brownlow Medallist. AFL premiership player. Four time All-Australian. AFL Hall of Fame inductee. And coach of Victoria’s worst team?
Hawthorn champion Shane Crawford will lead country football battlers Ardmona next year if an appeal against suspension for the 2020 season is won.
The Bush Cats were left heartbroken when the Kyabram District Football Netball League voted to suspend their membership ahead of its centenary season next year.
They last tasted victory against Rushworth in 2015, some 1547 days ago, but Crawford’s
appointment is breathing new life into Ardmona Recreation Reserve’s turf.
Crawford hails from Finley in country New South Wales and recognises the importance of grassroots sport.
“I’ve seen them play a few times and I really want to help them out if I can,” Crawford said.
Naturally ecstatic, Ardmona took to social media to announce the news of Crawford’s appointment.
“The committee of Ardmona Football Netball Club are pleased to announce that AFL legend and Brownlow medallist Shane Crawford has been appointed to the role (of) senior coach, pending our appeal decision,” the club said in a statement.
“Shane brings a wealth of experience and success on and off the field. His strong leadership skills and focus on building the right foundations for the club will return Ardmona FNC to glory days once again.
“We are very excited to welcome Shane to our Bush Cats family.”
The club’s struggles have attracted a lot of attention in recent years.
Brendan Fevola drew a crowd when he vowed to don the blue and white last year, only to withdraw from the game before the first bounce.
Channel 7’s Sunday Night featured a special on the club in September and they caught Sportsbet’s attention last year, featuring in the inaugural “Battle of the Battlers”.
The Cats travelled to the big smoke to face struggling Eastern Football League club Nunawading in the exhibition match.
But that ended in yet another belting, that one to the tune of 211 points.
The Cats were forced to pull their senior football team from the league in 2017 and play solely in the reserves after uncompetitive performances to open the season.
This year, the club’s seniors and reserves failed to win a game and finished on the bottom of the ladder.
Ardmona’s senior team finished with a percentage of 10.6 and were belted by a league record margin of 62.30 (402) to 0.1 (1) in July.
Ardmona treasurer Teisha McCoy previously told the Herald Sun that the club was about more than just winning.
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“Many of our members come from ‘at risk’ backgrounds and use the club each week as an escape from reality — a safe place,” she said, before Ardmona’s suspension.
“If the club were to fold, even for just a year, it would affect our members in a very detrimental way.
Such attention demands public support, with an influx of donations to the struggling club’s
GoFundMe page totalling $12,000 so far.
But despite positive signs, Ardmona’s future remains in the air.
A decision on the club’s future is expected to be made in coming weeks.