BFL: GROVEDALE STAR TO COACH AMMOS
GROVEDALE midfielder Jarrod Young has signed on as playing coach at BFL powerhouse Geelong Amateur.
The former Tigers skipper returned to his junior club in 2013 after a decade of VFL, SANFL and NTFL football with Werribee, Port Adelaide and Waratahs.
His appointment will have him join forces with premiership coach Rowan McSparron, who retired after Ammos’ third straight flag earlier this year.
McSparron said Young had a wealth of experience and would be a significant addition to Ammos playing stocks.
“Obviously he’s a fantastic player. Not only that, he’s a great leader,” McSparron said.
“He’s spent a lot of time at VFL and South Australian league footy so he’s got a wealth of knowledge. He was someone we identified as a pretty good candidate.
“He gives us that real onfield general and with his voice and the way he plays his footy he leads from the front. So he’s going to be a huge asset for us on the field, that’s for sure.
“We’ve obviously got people in the club who were capable of taking that role as well but we just think with the direction the club is heading and the way the standard of football is heading, someone with his experience and knowledge would be a huge asset for the club. That outside voice will no doubt freshen the boys up a little bit and get them hungry again.”
Geelong Amateur is chasing a record-equalling fourth straight premiership in 2017, a feat achieved twice by Ocean Grove in the 1990s and early 2000s.
McSparron said with the rise in quality of opposition club lists it was crucial for Ammos to improve by 10 to 15 per cent next year or risk being overtaken.
He said there would be a push from the club’s younger players to earn more senior games next year.
“We just want to give ourselves the best opportunity and obviously finishing top three gives you that chance of getting the double crack at it come finals time,” McSparron said.
“Leading into 2017 it will be our goal to finish in the top three and load up again and have another crack at it.
“But if you’re not improving your list by at least 10 to 15 per cent, everyone else is coming up behind pretty hard, so to stay ahead of the pack we’ve got to keep improving too.
“We’re excited about the year ahead.”