Mellor doubles his stay as Giants look to end finals drought
GEELONG West Giants coach Greg Mellor has extended his stay at the GFL club for a further two years, as he attempts to end its lengthy finals drought.
Mellor has served two years in the role and will remain there until the end of 2022.
Geelong West has also confirmed Mitch Wight will take its GDFL reins solo next year after Andrew Clark announced he would step down as cocoach. Wight has committed for one season. Mellor said his ambition was to return the Giants to finals for the first time in more than a decade.
“Our biggest thing is continuing to build our young group,” Mellor said.
“When you have 75 per cent of your playing group under the age of 22, it’s a huge focus on development and we’re trying to build a club culture of success all the way through.
“To do that, it starts off with your younger age-groups and making sure they’re being developed properly and giving them the opportunities when they’ve earned them or when they arise to come into senior football.
“We’ve got some strong senior leaders at our club that are setting some really good standards. The immediate thing is to continue to build that, to give that platform for our young players and to become, at senior level, consistently competitive and move into playing finals and winning finals and then winning premierships.”
Young Giants trio Tyh Evans, Jake Wood and Hugh Collins have returned to Leeton Whitton United, spending the shortened season in the AFL Riverina competition.
Star pair Jayden Symes and Jye Bohm will also have a kick in Queensland.
Geelong West recorded eight wins in Mellor’s first two years as the former Richmond assistant develops an emerging squad.
“We would have liked to have won a few more (games), particularly last year, but it’s the importance of being competitive and being in games for longer periods of time,” he said.
“When you’re starting with that, the scoreboard is not your only success indicator.
“It’s games into young kids and seeing them improve and being competitive and continuing to build your list.”