SA Footy

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2019 ... nouncement

Former Richmond midfielder Sam Lonergan will return to Punt Road as a development coach next season.

The 32-year-old played 79 games for Essendon and two for the Tigers between 2006 and 2013 after being drafted as an All Australian U/18 via the Tasmania Mariners.

A strong midfielder, Lonergan worked hard to get back from a severe ankle injury and surprise delisting from Essendon to play a season on the rookie list at Richmond.

He called time on his AFL career at the young age of 26 to take up a role as a playing senior assistant coach (midfield) at Glenelg in the SANFL where he remained for the 2014-15 seasons.

Lonergan has since held the top job at Launceston (2017-18) in the Tasmanian State League and Woodville West Torrens (2019) in the SANFL.

He took Launceston, which is also his junior club, from second-last to a preliminary final in his first season at the helm and was subsequently named as the TSL’s Coach of the Year.

Lonergan again finished in the top three in his second season before being appointed as the Head Coach of Woodville West-Torrens in October 2018.

Richmond’s General Manager of Football, Neil Balme, said that the Club was excited to welcome Lonergan, along with his wife Kirrie and two young children Harper and Ellis back to the Swinburne Centre.

“We look forward to having Sam and his extensive skillset as part of our coaching panel for the 2020 season,” he said.

“Sam will be a great asset to our young players and across the entire Club.”

On behalf of the Board, the Woodville West Torrens Football Club would like to inform all Members, Sponsors and supporters that Senior Coach Sam Lonergan has accepted a coaching role at the Richmond Football Club.
While the Club is disappointed to be losing a fantastic coach and outstanding person in Sam, he will leave with the Club’s full blessing and support. Sam and the Richmond football Club have been very open and transparent in the process and have offered their full ongoing support in the search for the Club’s next senior coach.

While Sam’s time at the Club has only been for the 2019 season he will leave a lasting impression with the Club, in particular the playing group. Sam’s professionalism, knowledge and passion for the Club in his time was fantastic.

On the announcement, CEO Luke Powell said “While it is disappointing to lose a great person and coach in Sam, we fully support his decision to take on such a great opportunity in the AFL system. Our Club will always encourage its people to enhance and better their careers at the highest level, be that as a player, coach or an employee in the professional sector. Sam has endeared himself to this football club and has developed strong lasting relationships within his short time at the Club. Sam will continue to always be part of the Eagles family and we wish Sam and his family all the success in the next chapter of their lives”

Sam will continue with the Eagles up until Club Champion night and continue fully supporting the Reserves and U/18’s in their finals aspirations. We sincerely thank Sam for his outstanding contribution and work ethic to our Football Club and wish him, partner Kirrie, children Harper and Ellis all the best with their future at the Richmond Football Club.

The search for our next Senior Coach is already well underway and we will keep all valued people informed as the process progresses.

The crows cleanout could lead to a Godden return or possibly a Mattner.

Ah yeah, all flowers and cards........ please, this stinks but We won’t complain too much
How long has the coach been looking for another job?
Why did the players look so uninterested so often ?
From third to seventh with a slightly better squad?
Don’t give us the old crap .... it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, the guy is 33 and has 2 years
to go as a Senior coach in a comp. few get a chance at their whole life.
He wasn’t up to it, the players never bought what he was selling and give him credit though,
he was smart enough to start looking elsewhere earlier than normal before he damaged his
brand to bad!
Forget the spin, the club really stuffed up with this one big time
What they should do is go around to Steve Pavlich’s house and politely ask if he and his busy son
could possibly help out finding a proper coach when Matt’s not mucking around West Lakes with head wobblers!
And this time Footy management...... go for the opposite of your choice..... Seinfeld rules 101

Not many coaches have been able to coach the Eagles to miss out on finals over the last 30 years, but I'm sure he had a long term plan.

Lonergan may have been on the right track and his theories solid, but it was very obvious the players
just weren’t into him and would fire up when it suited them.
That’s why getting rookie head coaches isn’t worth the risk if you have a choice, especially if you
have a finals side / squad already like the Eagles.
Lonergan has effectively given the club a chance to not make the same mistakes with little pain
and a sharper prospective of right coach = good football or wrong coach = players look lost/ losing regular.
Older and Progressive is far more desirable than Young and Progressive .

Won't have to wait long for an announcement I believe.

Booney wrote:Won't have to wait long for an announcement I believe.

Ty Vickory???

Well Richmond offered to help Torrens find another coach......

Lonergan appointed as coach goes along with signing Toumpas as player. Where was the due diligence in both decisions?

Lonergan appointed as coach goes along with signing Toumpas as player. Where was the due diligence in both decisions?

holden78 wrote:Lonergan may have been on the right track and his theories solid, but it was very obvious the players
just weren’t into him and would fire up when it suited them.
That’s why getting rookie head coaches isn’t worth the risk if you have a choice, especially if you
have a finals side / squad already like the Eagles.
Lonergan has effectively given the club a chance to not make the same mistakes with little pain
and a sharper prospective of right coach = good football or wrong coach = players look lost/ losing regular.
Older and Progressive is far more desirable than Young and Progressive .

I'm not sure we had a finals side/squad this year and the results do no not lie.

But part of that issue has to be attributed to the Coach who did not address the gaps that were apparent at the end of last season.

We did nothing to address our lack of scoring firepower but rather focussed all hope on J Hayes who, whilst a good player, cannot be relied upon as our no.1 key position option largely because he cannot be relied on to kick accurately.

We also recruited midfielders who lack pace making an already slow midfield even slower.

But I do think he brought a complicated AFL-style gameplan that our players had difficulty with executing.

Jade Sheedy to take over as head coach

UK Fan wrote:Jade Sheedy to take over as head coach

Going to be busy, thought he was signed sealed and delivered to Centrals

beef wrote:

UK Fan wrote:Jade Sheedy to take over as head coach

Going to be busy, thought he was signed sealed and delivered to Centrals

He has the choice of either club, both want him. Think I would go Eagles, be closer to a flag you would think.

(Don't tell Footy Chick though, she has been so busy strapping ankles she still thinks it is Fake News!).