Singh joins Dusties
Warragul Industrials announced on Saturday the appointment of senior coach Harmit Singh for a two-year period.
The appointment was made after current coach Stephen Ryan informed the club he would not be continuing in season 2021.
Singh, a renowned coach throughout Victoria brings a wealth of experience and premiership knowledge with him to Warragul. During 2013 and 2014 he took Morwell to back to back premierships, before a stint at Northcote and most recently at Vermont, where he took the EFL dynamo to back to back flags in 2018 and 2019.
He also brings with him 13 years of experience in the AFL system. He spent 10 years at Collingwood, while also holding the position of assistant coach in their inaugural AFLW season. Over the past three years he’s also held the position of academies manager at the Essendon Football Club.
In a gathering at the Club Hotel, Singh, alongside the Warragul Industrials committee held a presentation, enabling the new coach to meet some of his new players as the team turns to 2021 after the West Gippsland league cancelled the senior season on Friday night.
Singh said he was excited to hopefully help the Dusties side see some success in the league.
“I’m excited to get back to Gippsland and take on a group that I think is building nicely. If the season had gone ahead this year I think they would have been stronger than last year. While the season is off, it will give us a chance to plan ahead,” he said.
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“I guess I want to bring a professional program to the group and see the players individually improve. I’m really keen to set up a pathway for our junior talent to build our fourths and thirds as well,” said Singh.
Football director Nick Gooden said acquiring Singh as the next senior coach was key in helping the side take the next step, after the good foundation of work laid by outgoing coach Stephen Ryan.
“It’s massive. Over the last few years we’ve made a lot of moves off field and having Steve Ryan at the helm for 2019 and he was instrumental in helping us in that journey into the WGFNL competition, and now we think Harmit will be in a good position to take us even further,” he said.
President Dale Bainbridge said the addition of Harmit Singh will be felt right throughout the club, not just at senior level.
“The reason we went down the track of signing Harmit, was it’s more than just a senior footy role to us. His track record with junior programs and plans there is incredible,” Bainbridge said.
Gooden added to the sentiment about the importance of junior football for the Dusties.
“He’s a great people person and a great people manager. He’s really easy to talk with and the work that he’s going to be doing with our feeder sides the Blues and the Colts and our women’s program, he’s the complete package,” Gooden said.
Singh was able to catch up with some players including his old friend Darren Granger who he played VFL with at the Bombers.
“I caught up with Darren earlier and a few others. They are really excited to get into it and build those relationships when we get to work,” he said.
Singh said was looking forward to getting back out on the park this season and to be a part of the country footy community once again after missing last year with an ankle injury.
“I love country footy, so the opportunity to be around those people and it's just so close knit. I’m most looking forward to getting out and playing and being a part of it and hopefully we can have some success,” Singh said.