NEWLY-appointed East Warrnambool coach Danny Chatfield says building connections within the community is vital for the Bombers’ long-term future.
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The former Hawkesdale-Macarthur mentor has inked a one-year deal with the Warrnambool and District league club, replacing Paul Hrabar in the top role.
Chatfield, 32, said he was excited to step up after spending his first season back at the Reid Oval-based club as an assistant.
“While it was a tough season with two wins, the feeling around the club was pretty positive,” he said.
Chatfield said developing a stronger collaboration between the football and netball ranks was high on his priority list, as was enhancing the Bombers’ profile within the south-west community.
“East Warrnambool primary school, which my kids go to, has a fun run, so we’ll try and engage in those sort of things,” he said.
“There is more to a club than turning up on game day and for training. There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.”
East Warrnambool hopes to hold on the bulk of its senior list. Chatfield, who won the Bombers’ 2016 best and fairest, said developing a strong core was imperative to the Bombers’ chances of climbing the ladder.
“We don’t just want to hang on to guys for one or two years,” he said. “That’s been the problem – people coming and going.”
Fellow player Sam Grinter will work alongside Chatfield as the Bombers’ assistant coach.