JASON Mifsud has been appointed coach of the Fitzroy Stars.
Mifsud, the AFL’s Head of Diversity, replaces Travis Hodgson after four years at the helm.
Hodgson guided the Stars to successive Division 2 grand finals in 2013 and 2014 – losing both – and accepted a position as senior coach of Bacchus Marsh following the Stars first semi final loss to Whittlesea in August.
Fitzroy Stars general manager Simon Minton-Connell said the appointment of Mifsud was a huge coup for his club as it looks to rise back up the Division 2 ladder.
A former St Kilda listed player, Mifsud served as an assistant coach at the Saints under Grant Thomas in 2006 before taking on a position with the Western Bulldogs in 2007.
He has since been employed by the AFL and heads the league’s diversity program. He also sits on the on the AFL’s Indigenous Advisory Board.
“He brings 22 years coaching experience and over 350 games of playing and coaching so the experience he will bring to the club is enormous,” Minton-Connell said.
“He was an assistant at St Kilda and a development coach at the Western Bulldogs and was highly regarded. He’s also coached at Beaumaris and Koroit and done some coaching with his AFL commitments.
“Jason hasn’t coached for two years and has really missed it. This is the perfect opportunity for him to get back into it.
“The two things that are important to him are community and sport, which fits in well with our club.”
Mifsud’s appointment had been given the green light by AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan – who has met with Stars officials recently to discuss the future direction of indigenous football.
Minton-Connell said Mifsud’s work commitments wouldn’t affect his match-day availability, although he may be forced to miss occasional training sessions.
The club is now in the process of appointing a coaching panel to work alongside Mifsud.
“We’re about to go through discussions with who’ll be on the coaching panel and that’s important to have the right people,” Minton-Connell said.
“We really shouldn’t miss a beat if we have the right people in the right positions.”
Despite this year failing to win a final for the first time in three seasons, Minton-Connell said the Stars’ 2015 campaign was a success after losing 12 players from the 2014 grand final team.
He said the rapid development of youngsters throughout 2015 and the ability to retain most of its playing list should hold the club in good stead in Mifsud’s first season as coach.
“We were disappointed we didn’t win a final, we always want to win, but I thought where we finished was about where we are at,” Minton-Connell said.
“I think we’re looking at doing an academy for our youth next year and we may have opportunities of getting kids from up north that Jason has access to and a couple of mates that have played with him in the past.
“I think we’ll add three or four top notches and from all accounts we’re not going to lose much at all.
“Retention was our number one priority, which I think we’ve done pretty well. Now there’s the build on that.”
Photo courtesy of Patrick Bolger (Getty Images)
