Troy G
20th January 2003, 05:38 PM
In a coup for the AFL South Queensland League, two of its Premier Division clubs have secured former top AFL players as coaches for the 2003 season.
Both Aspley and Coolangatta will have new men in the coach?s box, with Aspley signing former Essendon ruckman Peter Somerville, while Coolangatta have brought former Sydney, Brisbane and North Melbourne premiership player, Mark Roberts, to their ranks.
AFL South Queensland Operations Manager David O?Leary said that the new appointments were a sign of strength within the League.
?It is great that clubs in our League can be luring coaches of that calibre back in to the system,? Mr O?Leary said.
?Both clubs are well managed and well organised and it shows how strong some of our clubs are in the community. Aspley, for example, have a very good Leagues club, as well as a huge junior program.?
Aspley?s former coach David Martin, who took the Hornets to this year?s Premier Division flag, has gone to State League?s Northern Eagles, thus forcing the premiers to look for new coaching blood in the 2003 season.
Somerville played with the Bombers from 1988 to 1997, taking part in their winning finals? campaign of 1993.
The Coolangatta Blues went looking for a new coach after Brett Andrews stood down from the position at the end of the 2002 season. The Blues had a successful 2002, finishing Runners Up to Aspley in the Premier Division seniors.
His replacement, Mark Roberts, last played with North Melbourne and was part of their premiership-winning team in 1996.
He began with Sydney in 1985, before spending four years with Brisbane in the late ?80s and then moving to a successful career with the Kangaroos for much of the 1990s.
Both Aspley and Coolangatta will have new men in the coach?s box, with Aspley signing former Essendon ruckman Peter Somerville, while Coolangatta have brought former Sydney, Brisbane and North Melbourne premiership player, Mark Roberts, to their ranks.
AFL South Queensland Operations Manager David O?Leary said that the new appointments were a sign of strength within the League.
?It is great that clubs in our League can be luring coaches of that calibre back in to the system,? Mr O?Leary said.
?Both clubs are well managed and well organised and it shows how strong some of our clubs are in the community. Aspley, for example, have a very good Leagues club, as well as a huge junior program.?
Aspley?s former coach David Martin, who took the Hornets to this year?s Premier Division flag, has gone to State League?s Northern Eagles, thus forcing the premiers to look for new coaching blood in the 2003 season.
Somerville played with the Bombers from 1988 to 1997, taking part in their winning finals? campaign of 1993.
The Coolangatta Blues went looking for a new coach after Brett Andrews stood down from the position at the end of the 2002 season. The Blues had a successful 2002, finishing Runners Up to Aspley in the Premier Division seniors.
His replacement, Mark Roberts, last played with North Melbourne and was part of their premiership-winning team in 1996.
He began with Sydney in 1985, before spending four years with Brisbane in the late ?80s and then moving to a successful career with the Kangaroos for much of the 1990s.