Leigh Crossman named new Nightcliff Tigers coach for 2023-24 NTFL season

The Nightcliff Tigers have brought on board a new coach with premiership winning credentials for the 2023-24 NTFL season. Read how he plans to return the team to its winning ways.

New coach Leigh Crossman has big shoes to fill at the Nightcliff Tigers but he believes his experience and some new ideas can reignite the playing group.

Crossman takes over from Chris Baksh who will go down as one of the club’s most successful coaches after winning three consecutive NTFL premierships between 2018 and 2021.

Nightcliff have continued to be strong contenders in the years since losing to eventual premiers Saints last year’s preliminary final and going out in the minor semi in the 2022-23 season.

Crossman isn’t short of credentials himself, having coached the Tiwi Bombers to their sole flag in 2012 and more recently leading Banks to back-to-back Premier Reserves premierships.

A schoolteacher by trade, Crossman is hoping he can continue his winning ways by reigniting the strong playing group at the Tigers.

New Nightcliff Tigers coach Leigh Crossman with club president Graeme Shaw. Picture: NTFC

“Chris was there for about seven years which is a great stint for any coach, so it’s good to bring in a fresh face, fresh voice to try and reignite the group,” he said.

“I’m really excited, I’m really happy, this is a sought-after position, Nightcliff is a great club and I can’t wait to get involved and get stuck in.

“There’s always a sense of excitement going into a club like Nightcliff which is well-resourced and well set up with good people.

“They’ve been up there for a long while and they had that good run about five years ago and just dropped off a little bit as any club does.

“And as a fresh face with some fresh ideas I’m hoping I can get them back to the top.”

Senior players including NTFL champion Cam Ilett and former Fremantle AFL player Ryan Nyhuis are back in the mix and are hungry to help the club to another flag.

The strong junior platform at the club will once again be a major focus after it produced five 2022-23 Rising Star nominees including the eventual winner Peter Politis.

Leigh Crossman previously coached the Tiwi Bombers to their only NTFL flag. Picture: Justin Sanson

The exact shape of the side is still an unknown with plenty of players still interstate but the pre-season is expected to kick into full gear come August.

One thing is for sure, Crossman is after a win carrying on from his recent taste of success at Banks.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have success with some really good clubs and some different clubs so I’m hoping to bring that across,” he said.

“I come in wanting to win, I’ve got high expectations but I also come in wanting to make improvements and the senior guys are excited.

“Bringing juniors up is a core focus of mine, that’s the core of the group, we’re not just thinking this year or next year, they’re the next group of players for the next 10 years.

“We’re still focused on the current group from last year and what their intentions are and then what gaps we need to fill from there.

“I think Nightcliff is an attractive club for anyone, both locally and from interstate and we’ll be attracting the best people to our club that we can.”

The appointment comes as Andrew Rock was named the successor to Shannon Miller in the Tigers’ women’s side.

Rock has enjoyed plenty of success at age level for Nightcliff winning premierships with the under-12s in 2018 and 2019, the under-14s in 2021 and the under-16s in 2022.