Owens going next level
TWO-TIME QAFL premiership-winning coach Chad Owens’ ambitions to get into high-level development coaching are coming to fruition with the respected mentor taking up a new job with an AFL-affiliated VFL team.
Owens, who won back-toback premierships with Palm Beach Currumbin in 2017 and 2018, is the Northern Blues Football Club’s new head of development after spending the past year working as a midfield coach for VFL rival Coburg.
“It’s an exciting new role and it’s been great so far,” the 39-year-old said.
“There is a fair bit involved,
I have to do the development plans for every play and watch all the vision from training and games. It’s full-on but I’m loving it.
“My goal is to try and get into AFL development coaching. How long that takes you never know but it’s certainly what I want to do.”
The former Palm Beach Currumbin State High School teacher and coach said he learnt a great deal working under Coburg head coach Leigh Adam throughout the 2019 season.
Now he will link up with former Gold Coast Suns assistant and current Northern Blues senior coach Josh Fraser.
Fraser was part of the QAFL premiership-winning Labrador team who won flag in 2015.
“Josh Fraser has been really good as well. He is actually pretty similar to me in a lot of ways,” Owens said. “I’m learning a lot every day so every time you go there, and we follow the AFL program so you get to learn what is happening at that level as well. I went into senior training a couple of weeks ago with the Carlton staff and (was) listening to the language they use and techniques they use as well.”