ALLANSFORD has turned to Heywood premiership coach Jason Saunders to lead it to another Warrnambool and District Football League finals campaign.
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Saunders will replace Josh Parkinson as coach for the 2016 season.
He will bring fellow Lions onballer Stephen Lovett with him to the Cats as an assistant.
Saunders has played in the past four South West District league grand finals for Heywood, winning premierships in 2012 and 2015.
The 2012 flag was the Lions’ first in the competition after defecting from the Western Border league where they’d languished at the foot of the table for years.
Allansford director of football Nathan Adams said the Cats were thrilled to land Saunders.
The experienced midfielder will add another dimension to their onball brigade.
“He is looking to improve his coaching,” Adams said.
“He liked what he heard from Allansford.
“He can build on the hard work Parky has done the last three years.”
Adams said Saunders was committed and eager to lead the Cats to a fifth-straight finals campaign.
Allansford finished third in 2015 after stumbling in the preliminary final against eventual runner-up Merrivale.
“Jason lives in Portland so he’ll commute across,” Adams said.
“It’s a fairly big commitment.”
Allansford president Stuart Trotman, who will step down at the Cats’ annual general meeting, said Saunders was a strong appointment.
“He’s coached Heywood for a considerable time and had quite a bit of success over there,” he said.
“We’re happy to have him on board.”
