Wimmera: Matt Walder takes on coaching job at Warrack Eagles

Matt Walder will go from coaching the 2023 Wimmera premiers to its wooden spooners. See all the other major coaching news here.

David Johnston

3 min read

October 12, 2023 - 5:00AM

The Weekly Times

Farewell flag for Osborne coach Joel Mackie

Ararat premiership coach Matt Walder is returning to Warrack Eagles in a bid to revive the fortunes of this year’s Wimmera league wooden spooner.

Walder masterminded Ararat’s first flag since 2001 last month and is heading back to Warrack Eagles, where he also coached the club to its most recent flag in 2002 during a four-year stint in charge.

He had intended to take a break from coaching following Ararat’s 21-point win against Southern Mallee Giants in the grand final at Dimboola.

“My intention was not to go again next year,” he said.

“But when it came out after the grand final that I wasn’t going on, I started to field some calls.

“I weighed up the options and Warrack Eagles is somewhere I’ve been previously.

“It would have been a big challenge to go back-to-back (with Ararat).

“But the only way is up (with Warrack Eagles).”

Ararat coach Matt Walder and captain Riley Taylor after beating Southern Mallee Giants in the grand final last month. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Warrack Eagles’ only win in 2023 was against Southern Mallee Giants in round 17, in a performance Walder takes heart from as he starts the long climb back up the ladder.

“They are not as far off as people think,” he said.

“They knocked the Giants off (late in the season) and fell a kick short of Minyip-Murtoa, who also played finals.”

Ararat hasn’t announced a coach for 2024.

GIPPSLAND

Traralgon has appointed Troy Hamilton as its new coach to replace Jake Best, who made the call to stand down late in the season.

Hamilton has spent the past three years as an assistant to Best, who has guided Traralgon into finals in the two completed seasons since the Covid interruptions.

A triple-premiership coach with Mid Gippsland league club Mirboo North, Hamilton also previously coached Traralgon’s traditionally strong under-age teams in the Gippsland league.

His two sons Tom and Josh play for Traralgon.

“It’s not a job I coveted at all,” he said.

“It has just come about and was something I considered for a while before accepting.

“Player retention will be the first priority and then we will try and recruit.

“I think we will target ex Traralgon players who are out there and get some of them to return.

“Jake has done a good job in blooding a lot of juniors.”

Traralgon recovered from four successive defeats to end the home and away rounds to beat Sale in the elimination final before being overrun in the final quarter by Moe in the first semi-final.

Brett Eddy, right, has left Traralgon after two seasons to join Pearcedale. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

But since the end of the season, Traralgon has lost star forward Brett Eddy and onballer Tom Schneider to Pearcedale and premiership coach Mark Collison has taken on the coaching job of Warragul Industrials.

Eddy kicked 68 goals for Traralgon this year.

Traralgon was the only Gippsland league coaching job up for grabs with Leongatha confirming dual premiership coach Trent McMicking would be staying on in the aftermath of the club’s grand final win against Wonthaggi.

McMicking became only the second Leongatha coach to lead the Parrots to two premierships in the Gippsland league with the other being Neville Stone in 1979 and 1982.

BENDIGO

Golden Square has entered the coaching marketplace to replace flag-winning coach Christian Carter.

After playing in premierships and captaining a flag, Carter became a premiership coach when Golden Square beat Sandhurst by six points in the grand final last month.

His brother Nick is also a premiership coach at Golden Square.

Since the thrilling grand final win, Golden Square has also lost premiership captain Jack Geary and assistant coach Hamish Morcom to coaching jobs at Cohuna Kangas and Huntly respectively.