IT’S FANTASTIC being back at the Melbourne Football Club.
When I joined last October, the first month or so was all about watching and observing, and getting to know the coaches and players.
Understanding the programs we’ve got in place has been important.
Some of the kicking programs that Kelly O’Donnell and Kevin Ball have put in place have been outstanding. I believe these programs are elite in the competition.
I’ve had a lot of meetings and a lot of discussions, but I feel like we’re starting to put a few things into place now.
In the next month or so, we’ll have programs in place to help the guys develop even further.
My role is a combination of management and strategy, but I’ve been doing some hands-on work on-field. I’ve been helping Kelly and the other coaches with an extra set of hands, which doesn’t go astray.
It’s been good to have that mix of office and on-field work - it’s a dream job.
But it’s also an interesting position. It’s hard to know exactly what other clubs are doing, but I know that Chris Fagan, who used to be at Melbourne, is doing a similar role to mine at Hawthorn.
I’ve been frequently asked since I’ve returned to the club what I bring?
I guess I bring a broad base of experience from my time at two other clubs - Hawthorn and Adelaide. Hopefully this adds to the experience and knowledge base we already have at the club.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of a premiership at Hawthorn in 2008. And I was lucky enough to be part of a program, which went from rebuilding through to a flag.
We went from second last and had no CEO, team manager, doctors or physios when I initially joined, through to recruiting some talented, high draft picks: Jarryd Roughead, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin and Jordan Lewis. We had other talented players, such as Clinton Young, who we gained as a rookie.
So we had the opportunity of working with those guys from scratch through to winning the 2008 premiership. To be involved in that process was invaluable.
People within the industry know it’s not just about recruiting talent that wins you premierships, but a lot of hard work, planning and teaching. So I felt very fortunate to be a part of that.
I then went to Adelaide in 2009. The Crows have some very good systems in place and I think I’ve got a really broad base to draw from now.
Melbourne has been really progressive in its planning and energy to go forward.
My role is to now help out Dean Bailey and the coaching group to maximise our opportunity to get the talent right.
As an extension, I help out Tim Harrington in list management and recruiters Barry Prendergast and Gary Burleigh. I’m also working closely with them to understand what the current list looks like in relation to our premiership model.
It’s really important to find out where the weaknesses are in our list - and help recruit and develop talent to fill them.
Development is not only about playing the game, but making sure they become better people via study and community activities.
Making them really rounded people is crucial to their playing success. We find elite players have the best balance between football and life.
As part of my role, I’m responsible in making sure everyone understands what’s going on in the different areas and that no one slips through the cracks.
Everyone has got an individual focus - and they know they must work on it - and of course fit into the team structure.
Overall, my role is somewhat of a link between the coaches, list management, recruiting and welfare with Ian Flack.
It’s all encompassing and one that I am relishing.
When I joined last October, the first month or so was all about watching and observing, and getting to know the coaches and players.
Understanding the programs we’ve got in place has been important.
Some of the kicking programs that Kelly O’Donnell and Kevin Ball have put in place have been outstanding. I believe these programs are elite in the competition.
I’ve had a lot of meetings and a lot of discussions, but I feel like we’re starting to put a few things into place now.
In the next month or so, we’ll have programs in place to help the guys develop even further.
My role is a combination of management and strategy, but I’ve been doing some hands-on work on-field. I’ve been helping Kelly and the other coaches with an extra set of hands, which doesn’t go astray.
It’s been good to have that mix of office and on-field work - it’s a dream job.
But it’s also an interesting position. It’s hard to know exactly what other clubs are doing, but I know that Chris Fagan, who used to be at Melbourne, is doing a similar role to mine at Hawthorn.
I’ve been frequently asked since I’ve returned to the club what I bring?
I guess I bring a broad base of experience from my time at two other clubs - Hawthorn and Adelaide. Hopefully this adds to the experience and knowledge base we already have at the club.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of a premiership at Hawthorn in 2008. And I was lucky enough to be part of a program, which went from rebuilding through to a flag.
We went from second last and had no CEO, team manager, doctors or physios when I initially joined, through to recruiting some talented, high draft picks: Jarryd Roughead, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin and Jordan Lewis. We had other talented players, such as Clinton Young, who we gained as a rookie.
So we had the opportunity of working with those guys from scratch through to winning the 2008 premiership. To be involved in that process was invaluable.
People within the industry know it’s not just about recruiting talent that wins you premierships, but a lot of hard work, planning and teaching. So I felt very fortunate to be a part of that.
I then went to Adelaide in 2009. The Crows have some very good systems in place and I think I’ve got a really broad base to draw from now.
Melbourne has been really progressive in its planning and energy to go forward.
My role is to now help out Dean Bailey and the coaching group to maximise our opportunity to get the talent right.
As an extension, I help out Tim Harrington in list management and recruiters Barry Prendergast and Gary Burleigh. I’m also working closely with them to understand what the current list looks like in relation to our premiership model.
It’s really important to find out where the weaknesses are in our list - and help recruit and develop talent to fill them.
Development is not only about playing the game, but making sure they become better people via study and community activities.
Making them really rounded people is crucial to their playing success. We find elite players have the best balance between football and life.
As part of my role, I’m responsible in making sure everyone understands what’s going on in the different areas and that no one slips through the cracks.
Everyone has got an individual focus - and they know they must work on it - and of course fit into the team structure.
Overall, my role is somewhat of a link between the coaches, list management, recruiting and welfare with Ian Flack.
It’s all encompassing and one that I am relishing.
