Budding football coach leaves comfort zone for different challenge

Evans has signed on as a development and assistant coach, eager to help new Power co-coaches Justin Wallace and Sam Uwland plot a path to Warrnambool and District league finals in 2024.

The long-time Cobden footballer, who hasn't played for four years but plans to pull on the boots again, spent the past two seasons as the Bombers' senior assistant, learning and working alongside the likes of Dan Casey and Brody Mahoney.

Experienced Cobden midfielder Louis Cahill - one of Evans' best mates who lives on the same street as him in Camperdown - has also joined the Power's ranks.

Cahill, originally from Irrewarra-Beeac in the Colac and District league, played 196 senior games for Cobden.

He featured in nine senior games and 12 reserves matches, including the preliminary final, for the Bombers in 2023.

Evans, 32, said he had long-term aims of becoming a senior coach and knew it was important to jump outside of his comfort zone, having spent his entire career at Cobden.

"It is hard to leave your home club but it is probably at the right time," he said.

"I think I have achieved everything I can possibly achieve at Cobden to this date and I'd love to go back there one day but I probably need to go off and do something different and keep working with people who have helped me along the way.

"I want to get really good one-on-one relationships with everyone at the club and just bring in what I have learned under Dan - footy is the main reason we're there but making a sustainable club where you have a good relationships with the trainers, the committee, all the other coaching staff, the netball side (of it).

"Just bringing in that one-club type mentality (is important)."

Evans, a dad to one-year-old Finn, said experienced Hampden league coaches such as Koroit's Chris McLaren, Camperdown's Neville Swayn, former North Warrnambool Eagles mentor Adam Dowie and Casey had been important sounding boards.

He speaks with Casey most days while Swayn has provided inspiration to take on a new role.

"Nev has been really good the last six months with me," he said.

"He is understanding, knowing this is what I want to do. We chat quite frequently and he was massive in me making the decision to head there as well to try and keep pushing to one day take on a senior job somewhere."

Coaching appeals to Evans, who credited wife Narelle for her support because it requires a group of people to strive for the same goal.

"When it all works there's nothing better, just seeing all the boys putting together on a Saturday what you've been working so hard for. It becomes pretty addictive," he said.

The diesel fitter had two stints coaching the Bombers' under 18.5 sides - 2013-14 and 2018-19 - and has a passion for helping teenagers progress into senior footballers.

He will work closely with the Power's youth.

The chance to play again appealed to Evans whose most recent match was four years ago.

"I'll do a pre-season and if I can get through I'll definitely try and pull the boots back on," he said.

"Honestly, both my knees are pretty shot and I'd given it away and got heavily into coaching.

"I probably don't have the talent to try and play Hampden league senior footy (anymore) just with how professional it is these days."