SOUTH MORANG has appointed Dean Grainger as coach for the 2016 Northern Football League season.
Grainger coached Heidelberg’s reserves in 2015 and replaces Craig Lambert after two years at the helm.
South Morang topped the Division 3 ladder this season, but failed to reach the grand final after successive losses to Reservoir and Epping in the opening two weeks of the finals.
Despite the straight-sets finals exit, Grainger said it was an exciting time to join South Morang.
“They fell a bit short this year, but having finished top two in all three grades is still quite a positive,” Grainger told NFL.org.au.
“Hopefully everyone now stays on board, which at this stage they are, and we can bolster up a couple of things to firstly finish on top again and then go one step better next year.”
Grainger has spent the past three years at Heidelberg.
He coached the Tigers’ under-19s for two seasons before stepping up to the reserves this year. He was also a senior assistant in two of his three years at Warringal Park.
Grainger was drafted by Fremantle with pick No. 72 in the 1994 AFL National Draft, but didn’t play an AFL match.
A member of West Preston-Lakeside’s 2003 premiership, he brings over 28 years of football experience to his first senior coaching role.
“At some time I wanted to coach my own side outright in a senior competition and South Morang seemed to be the right fit and have given me the opportunity,” Grainger said.
“I think the club’s professionalism and great junior base, with over 600 players registered and a lot of their sides playing off in grand finals in the juniors is attractive.
“Hopefully those kids from the (under) 16s and 17s are capable of potentially playing seniors next year, because they will be given opportunities.”
Grainger said he had already spoken with playing assistant coach Paul Harrison to begin preparations for the 2016 season.
“I know ‘Harro’ from when I was playing and coaching against him. I’ve spoken with him because he’s a playing assistant coach next year.
“I’ve spoken to the leaders from last year and I’ve spoken to a few from the under-17s, under-19s, reserves and seniors to just outline what my intentions are.
“With no disrespect to Craig, the previous coach, I think the group needed a new voice who I suppose doesn’t know a lot of the players, so everyone is on the same playing field.
“Those I spoke with explained what they think we need to bolster up and we’re in the process of adding to those areas shortly.”
South Morang will commence pre-season training in early December.
