NEW Port Fairy coach Brett Evans will bring plenty of inside information to the role.
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The Seagulls yesterday announced Evans as their senior coach for 2015, a step up from his position as assistant coach this season.
The 37-year-old will be a non-playing coach, replacing 2014 playing coach Sam Rudolph.
Evans brings with him a wealth of coaching and playing experience, having served with distinction at a number of clubs.
As a player, Evans made his name as a clever rover and was a member of South Warrnambool’s senior premiership in 1996.
He went on to coach the Roosters’ under 18s team to back-to-back premierships in 2002-03 and then coached the reserves team to a flag in 2004.
He moved to South Rovers in 2006 as a playing coach and led the club to the 2007 premiership and continued in the role until 2012.
He had a year away from the game in 2013 before taking up an offer from Rudolph to serve as his non-playing assistant coach this year.
Evans said he was excited about the beginning of the latest chapter in his football journey.
“From what I have seen this year, Port Fairy is a great club with some really good young players to work with,” Evans said.
“There is a group of senior players that work really hard and the challenge is to lift all the other blokes at the club up to that level.
“I think that is achievable. They are a close group and they want to be part of success at the club.”
Evans praised the efforts of Rudolph who stepped away from the coaching role after two seasons at the helm.
In 2013, the Seagulls finished ninth on the ladder with two wins and a draw and improved their win-loss ratio with four wins this season but dropped down to the bottom of the ladder.
“Sam did a great job in his two years and has put a lot of really positive things in place.
“He has helped a lot of the young blokes at the club improve their football and hopefully they can continue that rise.”
Evans said he would love to have Rudolph remain in a role at the club and would know more after the former coach gets through an upcoming knee operation.
Ruckman Jaise Coleman is currently playing in Darwin and Evans said he would speak to all players on the list in the coming weeks.
Port Fairy president Mick Wolfe said the Seagulls had spoken to more than half a dozen prospective candidates but Evans was the right man for the job.
“He’s really well credentialed. We were really glad to get him,” Wolfe said.
“We did speak to a few people from interstate. We had to go through that process and he was the unanimous pick.”
He said Evans had impressed as an assistant coach in 2014.
“He’s aware of the club. He’s obviously happy here and he can see opportunities for the club, himself and our players. It’s a win-win for all of us.”
Wolfe said the Seagulls were impressed with Evans’ tactical knowledge and communication skills, which would be important in helping develop the club’s emerging talent.