Chris Naish: Ex-Tiger an assistant coach at Wangaratta Rovers

Chris Naish, a former Richmond player, is joining the Ovens Murray league in an off-field role with a fierce rival.

Former Richmond player Chris Naish has joined Wangaratta Rovers’ coaching ranks, which are headed up by another AFL player from the same era who is still in search of his first Ovens and Murray league senior premiership.

Sydney Swans Team of the Century member Daryn Cresswell is entering his fourth year in charge of Wangaratta Rovers with Naish coming on board as an assistant for the season starting on April 2.

Naish was drafted from the Ovens and Murray rival club Wangaratta Magpies and went onto play 161 AFL matches at two clubs, Richmond and Port Adelaide.

Injuries brought an end to his career at the top level at the end of 1999 and he has since coached Scotch College and Ivanhoe Amateurs.

Patrick Naish and his father Chris during the 2017 AFL Draft. Photo: Quinn Rooney

Last Sunday his son Patrick made his debut for West Coast Eagles after playing nine games for Richmond where he was drafted under the father-son rule.

Younger brother Xavier plays for Wangaratta Rovers.

The club’s football director Barry Sullivan confirmed Naish had joined the club as an assistant coach alongside his nephew Josh.

“We’ve got a lot of Naish family connections at the club even though Chris played for Wang,” O’Sullivan said.

“He was at every game last year and the more we talked to him the more you could tell he was interested in getting involved.

“When we ended up asking him he was rapt.

“Chris is an assistant coach and certainly between him and Josh there will be times when they coach.”

Daryn Cresswell joined Wangaratta Rovers as coach in 2009 after previously coaching Wodonga Raiders. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

O’Sullivan confirmed Cresswell planned to watch his son Josh play for Wesley College at times during the year.

Another son Jake, who played for Wangaratta Rovers and Murray Bushrangers last year, has joined SANFL club South Adelaide.

The Rovers first match will be against another club predicted to play finals, Myrtleford.

Cresswell coached Wodonga Raiders before being headhunted by the Rovers.