NTFA: Roos cast net wide for coach big fish

Deloraine is casting the net wide for a playing coach to lead them into the NTFA Premier League era, in the hope quality senior players will follow suit.

Deloraine Kangaroos president Don Tracey with Hawthorn's head of Tasmanian operations David Cox and Bridgenorth president Bobby Beams before a fundraising match last season. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

Deloraine have cast the net far and wide in their quest to find a player-coach they believe can spark a recruiting spree they need to be competitive in next year’s NTFA Premier League.

The Kangaroos finished second-last with one win in this year’s premier division and their reserves went winless, but their women’s team will play in finals beginning this weekend.

Club president Don Tracey said they would require around ten quality senior players to help nurture their young talent and acquit themselves well in the premier league.

That starts with landing the first big fish they hope can attract more talent to the club.

“For us to be competitive in the Premier League, I think we’ll need a playing coach. We’re on the lookout and talking to a couple of people,” Tracey said.

“We’re looking everywhere and talking to people on the mainland. I got sent a list of Tasmanians playing in the WAFL, SANFL, Queensland.

“With a Tasmanian side coming in 2028 and a VFL team next year, there’s an opportunity for Tasmanians to come back here and be a part of it.”

“We’ve got a couple of interviews and hopefully we can land someone, but there’s a lot of clubs looking to do the same thing as well.”

Tracey also hopes the inclusion of the club in the premier league will entice former players who have left back into the fold.

“We’ve got to get some players back who have left the club for one reason or another,” he said.

“We also need to recruit some players, definitely a good ten or so senior players if possible. “But we don’t want to do that to the detriment of our local players. Our junior club is pretty strong and we’ve got some talented kids here, male and female, in talent identification programs.

“In the past some of the boys have been lured into Launceston and promised the world. They don’t have to go there now, they can stay in Deloraine, and hopefully some of those players who have gone to Launnie or North Launceston will come back to support Deloraine.

“The majority of our senior players have recommitted for next year. Those players are looking to bring some of their mates back to the club as well, but it will all be dictated by the coach I think.”

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos will be forced to buy security cameras for their clubhouse after it was broken into by vandals this week.

“It wasn’t major, but it’s an inconvenience to us,” Tracey said.

“Vandals prised open a window in our corporate box and put a hole in the plaster wall.

“There some alcohol left in a fridge, they drank some grog and decided to throw them down on concrete and smash them everywhere.

“You can’t fathom how people can do that, but it happens everywhere.

“It’s forced us to buy some cameras. Even though it’s on council property, the club will buy some cameras and put them in there.”