Coaching role lures Walker
JYE Walker says the opportunity to coach a resurgent Newcomb was “too good to refuse”.
The 200-game champion at GFL club Leopold officially put pen to paper at Grinter Reserve on Friday.
The talented onballer has joined the Power as a co-coach alongside Rory Nicol, with the club devising a succession plan that will see Walker take over in 2021.
Walker, who played his 200th and final match for the Lions in Round 18, revealed he was headhunted by Newcomb last season.
“They approached me for a similar role and I said I wasn’t quite ready to step away from the GFL,” he said.
“About eight weeks ago they asked again and I thought the time was right. I let my coaching take a back seat because there wasn’t an opportunity at Leopold, but I had another opportunity to coach and learn from Rory, so that’s what got me across.
“That’s where I want to go with my career, and coaching’s the way forward. They approached me and it was too good to refuse.”
A once-powerful club, Newcomb took a sharp fall from grace after its 2007 premiership until Nicol took the reins in 2016, slowly erasing seasonafter-season of embarrassing thrashings.
Walker said the club’s steady rise, combined with a new-found respect in the football community, made Newcomb an exciting prospect to coach.
“When he (Nicol) got to the club they hadn’t won a game and their average losing margin was 200 points,” he said.
“So what they’ve done to rebuild from there is unbelievable. Rory took on a big job and he pretty much took on every role — he was coach, recruiter and footy manager — and he set some solid foundations in the football department.
“It’s not just the seniors, the club has lots of juniors coming through and that was something they lacked a few years ago.
“I think the club is in a strong position. The players are there for the right reasons now.
“Having spoken to Rory, they’re committed, they’re taking ownership and responsibility, which didn’t happen before.
“When you have that in a footy club, it makes a huge difference to how it’s run.
“That’s what’s exciting. The players are buying in, they want a better team but also a better club.”
Nicol, who will enter his fifth season in charge of the Power, said the club was thrilled to land the 31-yearold’s signature.
“Jye’s a terrific footballer, but more pleasingly he’s a terrific person and he’ll fit into our football club well,” he said.
“He’s always had aspirations to coach and we thought it would be a great opportunity for him to ease into it.
“To coach a footy club on your own, it’s almost too difficult these days, so to have a bit of support off the field and let him play and forge relationships with the playing group is the perfect scenario.”
Nicol said he had considered stepping down at the end of season, but felt reinvigorated by the club’s change in coaching structure.
“I encouraged the club to see what was out there, and I also encouraged them to lean towards a playing coach and find a suitable person to assist that playing coach, whether that be me or one of our assistants,” he said.
“I just feel we need a little more direction on the field and Jye will complement that. It’s a perfect fit and perfect timing.”