NEW Whittlesea coach Jim Atkins is confident the club is better placed to survive in the Northern Football League’s top tier than it was after its last Division 2 premiership.
Atkins has replaced outgoing coach Brad Dean in the top job at Whittlesea Showgrounds.
Dean stepped down after the Eagles secured their passage back to Division 1 with a thrilling grand final win over Lalor last month.
Atkins, a member of Whittlesea’s 2013 premiership side, knows how difficult it can be to survive in Division 1.
The 30-year-old has been an assistant coach at the Eagles for the past two years, which included the club’s ill-fated 2014 campaign.
“You have a look at the stats and you see that we only won one game,” Atkins said.
“But if you were around the club you know that we lost probably 6-7 games by under three goals. We were in amongst it a lot.
“Hopefully we’ve learned from it. I think we definitely have and hopefully we can take the next step.
“You only have to have a look at Macleod. They were doing the same thing 7-8 years ago and now they’ve won the Division 1 flag.”
Atkins said he has been in discussions with the club throughout the year about the senior coaching post after it became clear Dean would not continue beyond 2015.
Skipper Andrew Fairchild has been appointed as a playing assistant coach, while Declan Skehan will also be part of Atkins’ coaching panel after helping steer the Eagles’ reserves to the grand final this year.
Atkins’ elevation is the second time in three years Whittlesea has looked within for a new senior coach.
Dean was promoted to the role after being a member of Peter Bugden’s coaching staff before he joined Essendon District Football League outfit Craigieburn.
Atkins previously coached Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League club Kinglake.
“It sounds like 90 per cent of the list have signed up,” he said.
“There’s a couple we’re still waiting on. But we’re definitely going in better this time than we did last time (to Division 1).
“Last time we lost a few players out of our premiership side. This time we’ve signed up 95 per cent of them.”
