GROUP 4 Player of the Year and Gunnedah Player of the Year Trent Hilton is in for a busy 2015 after being appointed first grade co-coach.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hilton and Wayne Griffiths will share the role, with Hilton also continuing his partnership with the U18s with David McCann.
The coaching appointment attracted some deliberation, with this season’s coach Shane Rampling also putting his hand up.
It made for a tough decision for the new board of directors.
“At end of the day we had two quality applications,” Bulldogs president Ray McCoy said.
“We knew at the end of the day there was going to be disappointment and there was.
“Shane is very disappointed.”
After interviewing all the candidates, the board met on the weekend to finalise the appointments.
“One of the protocols we put in place because we knew it’d be so close was we had a secret ballot,” he said.
The vote went in Hilton and Griffiths’ favour 4-3.
“We’re really excited about what they can bring to the table,” McCoy said.
Griffiths is a life member and multiple-premiership winning coach, and “brings a wealth of valuable experience and knowledge to the table”.
Hilton is the Bulldogs’ leading player and will bring a new insight.
The 25-year-old said it’s something they’ve been mulling over for a few years.
“Wayne Griffiths and I have talked about it for the last couple of years,” he said.
But until this year, they hadn’t gone through with it.
“We felt the time was right,” Hilton said.
“I’ve always enjoyed the coaching aspect of it.”
He’s coached Bulldogs junior sides for the past few seasons.
“The 18s that will be there next year I was first with them as 15s (in the North West junior competition),” he said.
The Bulldogs got their bite back this season, making the grand final for the first time in a number of years and, from all accounts, should have a pretty similar side.
One of Hilton and Griffiths’ main focuses will be creating more of a club vibe.
“You look at Norths. They’re the club to beat in all grades – they’ve got that club vibe,” Hilton said.
“On the paddock we weren’t as strong as we could have been in defence.
“We won’t change the attack much.”
Except to try to work on their speed on the ground.
Defence is the big thing though.
“You want to win a comp, you’ve got to have a good defensive structure in place,” Hilton said.
The Bears showed that.
A lot of what they were able to do came on the back of their defence.
He’d also like to see the players more involved with the juniors.
“One of things we’re going to push as a club is getting the senior players down to help with the juniors,” he said.
“Back when I was in junior league that was one of the things the Bulldogs used to do.”
Griffiths is stepping up from coaching reserve grade this year.
Former Wee Waa utility player Robert Price has been appointed to take charge of reserve grade next season.
A robust utility player with over 19 years’ playing experience, Price retired in 2009 and has been a regular “grandstand coach” at the Bulldogs’ games over the past three years, McCoy said.
“In his application, Price sought to bring a fresh approach and outlook to the club from a new perspective, whilst also bringing a new dynamic to the playing group,” he said.
He’ll be ably assisted by Bulldogs stalwart Steve Merlehan.
The appointment of the ladies’ league coaching staff has been extended until Friday, January 30, 2015.