Demons navigate learning curve

PORTARLINGTON coach Jesse Smith, pictured, is confident he has the off-field structure in place to see the Dees improve in 2018.

Smith admits he found himself in the deep end at times during his first season as coach in 2017, but says he learnt plenty from the experience.

“I thought I knew what I was in for, but you don’t know it until you take the reins as a senior coach,” Smith said.

“It was a good development year for myself. Being new to the club I had to get a good insight into how it runs on and off the field and I’ve done that.

“I’m confident we’ve ironed out a few bumps that were there. It was a good learning curve for me as a person and as a coach.

Smith said he now understands when people say you can’t do everything yourself when you’re a senior coach.

“You definitely need a good support network around you. Without that you have no hope of surviving as a coach or as a club,” he said.

“You need the right people in the right spots. I thought coming in I would be able to do most of it myself and just use the assistant coaches sparingly and try and take over.”

Smith said the club has added line coaches and a bench coach to its structure for 2018.

The Dees will have midfield, forward and defence coaches, while experienced assistant Adrian Carr will be Smith’s bench coach.

“He has a really good footy brain and he will be my right hand man,” Smith said of Carr.

“I didn’t have that last year and we didn’t have line coaches last year. It was all on me, so we’ve definitely put heads in places to help me and help the team.

The former Carlton player was Portarlington’s marquee recruit heading into the 2017 season, but he was let down by injuries and managed to play just five games.

Smith believes he is over his troubles and is set to increase his output on field this year.

“I’ve had a pretty good preseason and the body is good so far so I’ll hopefully be playing every game,” he said.