Cairns Saints have employed a two-pronged coaching venture in an attempt to wrestle back the AFL Cairns premiership next season. James Coatsworth will be replaced by the joint co-senior coaching appointment of Brenton Powell and Nick Braybon, who will share the head role.
Powell, who played under Coatsworth for the past two years, was elevated to his assistant last year and also earned the club’s best and fairest. At 25, he will be one of the youngest coaches the league has ever seen.
Coatsworth has left Cairns to return to his hometown of Wychepoof to continue his coaching career with Wychepoof-Narraport – who lost by nine points in a high-scoring grand final against Wedderburn in the North Central Football League last season.
Braybon is a centre half forward who played with the Croydon Football Club in the Eastern Football League last season, but also has an impressive career which includes stints in the TAC Cup for the Murray Bushrangers, before playing in the Ovens & Murray Football League and then representing the Murray Football League.
Powell said there would be minimal personnel loss from the Saints side who lost to Manunda in the grand final.
"I’ve rang the guys and we’ll probably only lose four or five guys," Powell said.
Despite the hole left by Coatsworth’s departure, Powell said he learnt a lot during his time under him.
"It will be a big loss, his leadership will be the hardest thing to replace," he said. "He really showed me how to lead at training and lead by example. When he says he wants something done he goes out there and gets it done and shows the boys how to do it."
Powell had been toying with returning to his home club of Learmonth in the Central Highlands League near Ballarat before being offered the coaching role.
"It’s always been a dream (to coach). ... I was going to go back to Learmonth for an assistant coaching job but this came up and I jumped at the opportunity," he said.
Read more at http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/11/08/190135_local-sport-news.html
Courtesy of The Cairns Post.
Last Modified on 08/11/2011 10:54