Dodges Ferry appoint former Lauderdale senior assistant Jess Tegg as senior coach for 2024/25

Dodges Ferry have signed one of the TSL’s best assistant coaches who is looking to bring an ‘exciting’ game style to Shark Park.

Brad Joseph was terrific for Dodges Ferry in his first season at the club after crossing from Hobart and will be a playing assistant next season. Picture: Linda Higginson

New Dodges Ferry senior coach Jess Tegg says the opportunity to lead his own senior side and work with some exciting young talent were the main drivers behind his decision to leave Lauderdale for Shark Park.

The former Bombers development league coach and senior assistant signed on with the SFL club earlier this week on a two-year deal with former co-coach David Hunt to move into a director of coaching role and Robbie McManus departing.

Dodges Ferry assistant coach Brad Joseph (left) and new senior coach Jess Tegg (right). Picture: Facebook.

After leading Lauderdale’s D-League side to a preliminary final this season, the much loved and highly respected figure was looking forward to the new challenge that awaits.

“Yeah I’m really excited,” Tegg said.

“It probably came to the time when it (senior coaching) was the next thing on the agenda.

“When I told ‘Bundy’ (Lauderdale senior coach Allen Christensen) he was fantastic and was over the moon. It was one of those calls you don’t want to make but he is the main reason I had the confidence to take on a role like this.

“He really backed all my decisions this year and really instilled belief in me and the other coaches.”

With experienced heads Cam and Riley Hooker and Ben McGuinness returning to Lauderdale for 2024, Tegg will take on a much younger line-up next year but was excited to bring his own look to the 2023 preliminary finalists.

“To get the best out of your players you have to build a relationship with them and get to know them away from footy so you get to know what makes them tick, so that’s a big part of my coaching philosophy,” he said.

“One of the things with Dodges is that we aren’t in a full transition period but they are in a phase were a lot of the older guys are moving on so they have some real young talent to work with which really enticed me.”

Former Dodges Ferry tall Ben McGuinness has returned to Lauderdale for 2024. Picture: Linda Higginson

“There will be a fair bit of change with the way we move the ball. We will try and play a really exciting brand of footy that people love to watch and the players love to play. We will make sure we are trained well enough to adapt to different situations in the game. Probably be a bit more of a defensive team and then attack from the way we defend.”

Tegg will be supported by current player Brad Joseph as a playing assistant coach, an appointment he said was key to him taking on the role.

“Brad sticking around and taking on that role was probably the first thing I needed to tick off,” he said.

“He did it with Hobart really successfully and the young guys respond to him. He is really patient and a great teacher of young footballers.

“To also have ‘Hunty’ stick around was important because he is very well respected and had built some key relationships.”

Dodges Ferry will kick off their pre-season on November 21.