FORMER SANFL star Luke Crane is the man charged with leading Portland to its first Hampden league finals campaign.
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The Tigers appointed Crane as coach for the 2015 season — their third in the competition after crossing from the Western Border league — on Tuesday night.
Crane’s rise to the top job comes one season after he joined Portland following a successful stint at Sturt, which included winning the 2008 Magarey Medal.
The zippy midfielder, who replaces Jake Myles as coach, said he had learnt from his role as an assistant coach this season.
He said the club approached him about the top job and he quickly decided it was an appealing opportunity.
“In the past I never really wanted to coach but this year as an assistant to Jake it opened my eyes that I could,” he said.
“It got me interested. The more I thought about it after the meeting, I was already planning in my head so I’d already made my mind up.”
Crane, 29, said he would build on the knowledge he gained during his football career, which included TAC Cup as a teenager in Tasmania.
He wants to blood more juniors and give some of the Tigers’ reserves premiership players a chance to stake a claim for a senior spot.
He knows his first season in charge will be a big learning curve.
“Everything is going to be new to me but I have a people around who are going to help out,” Crane said.
“Development of everyone is the big thing for me and hopefully I can pass on some of my knowledge.”
Crane said it was imperative Portland “set some standards and made it more enjoyable”.
If that happens he believes positive results will follow.
“I think we have enough talent here,” he said.
“It is a matter of getting the most out of it.
“We are lacking in a couple of key areas — a key forward and another key back would be handy.
“Whether we can draw people here …we will try to.
“With the work situation (job cuts at Keppel Prince) it makes things harder.”
Portland president Troy Bannam said Crane’s impressive credentials and approachability meant he was the perfect fit for the Tigers.
“To have him doing the top job is excellent for us,” he said.
“The level of footy he has played means he knows the training and game styles you need to bring to be competitive.
“He is a class act, on and off the field, and they’re traits any footy club is after.”
Cobden is the only Hampden league club yet to appoint a coach for the 2015 season after Port Fairy unveiled former South Rovers mentor Brett Evans as its new leader last week.
Five of the league’s 10 clubs will have new coaches at the helm next year.