The Murrumbateman Eagles are searching for a new coach as they attempt an AFL Canberra Community Men’s Division threepeat heading into season 2024. Brent Fraser led the Eagles to a maiden premiership in 2022, while Mark Welsh was charged with leading the club to back to back titles in 2023.
The Eagles announced their coaching vacancy earlier this month and are seeking expressions of interest until the end of November, with the plan to appoint a new coach in mid December. New Murrumbateman Eagles President Brent Lello and his committee won’t rush to appoint anybody, with the club focused on selecting the right person for the job. The Eagles announced their coaching vacancy earlier this month and are seeking expressions of interest until the end of November, with the plan to appoint a new coach in mid December. New Murrumbateman Eagles President Brent Lello and his committee won’t rush to appoint anybody, with the club focused on selecting the right person for the job both on and off the field.
“There are a lot of coaches out there that bring different characteristics, personalities, and strengths,” Lello said. “As a club, we have come along in leaps and bounds in winning two premierships, but we can’t rest on our laurels. We are looking for a coach to take us to the next level on the training paddock and on game day, but a good coach will also be a fantastic club man, and they are going to be our spokesperson and face of the club.”
When asked what a good coaching candidate would bring to the table, Lello kept an open mind and was ready to consider all applications. “They will have good interpersonal skills, be good communicators and delegators,” Lello said. “It could be some up and coming aspiring coach in town keen for a go or someone with lots of experience.”
“While winning is always important, it’s not all about on field success but them fitting in with the Murrumbateman club and being a lens into the team. We are very much a family and community focused club, and culture is an important aspect, and we try every day to lead by our values.”
“We’re leaving the book open, and we’ll look at what candidates come our way, look through those applications, and find the right fit for the club.” With a good playing group on the books, the Eagles will want to get a coach locked away sooner rather than later, with preseason set to kick off in January.
“Our expressions of interest close at the end of November, and we’ll look to appoint a new coach by the end of December,” Lello said.
“We want everyone to know who it is and what we are doing, and I expect preseason will start fairly quickly, so we want everything squared away by then.”
For the moment, Lello and the Eagles are focusing on their next generation of players by hosting weekly kids clinics. The first clinic kicked off last Thursday and will continue tonight and for the next three weeks, kicking off at 5.30 pm at the Murrumbateman Recreation Grounds. This is an excellent opportunity for kids of any age to develop new skills, be active in a supervised and supportive environment, meet new friends and generally have a great time. If you would like your child to participate in the Eagles Kids Clinic, please let Brent Lello know at
brent.lello@gmail.com or 0439 548 986.
