New Merrigum Football Netball Club president Andrew Parkinson is hoping he can partially repay the club that has played a pivotal role in his and his sons’ development in the past 20-plus years.
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Parkinson, 48, operates Well Bred Genetics at Rochester and has taken over the presidency from Greg Pell, who remains on the committee and spent nine years in the top job.
Parkinson Sr played with the club a couple of decades ago and helped as team manager and assistant coach of the reserves in a premiership year
His son Zac has been captain of the club and after finishing underage football at Kyabram, played an Under-18 season before notching almost 100 games of senior Kyabram district league football with the Bulldogs.
Another son, Jake, played 11 games with Kyabram in the shortened 2021 season and then 18 games last season as either a small defender or shut down mid-fielder.
After playing Under-18 football with the Bombers he played three quality senior seasons with Merrigum before transferring to Kyabram
“The footy club has been very good to me and my family. It was now or never for me, I just hope I can give a little back,” Parkinson said.
“I am happy with our coaching appointment (Jaydon Stiles) because he is driving the recruiting and it allows me to concentrate on the business side of the club.”
Merrigum has lost the heart of its midfield, with the Martin brothers staying in Melbourne and best-and-fairest Jack Sinclair playing at Tongala.
Rachel Rowe has retired as secretary and Tanya Henderson (secretary when Reg Poole was president of the club) is returning to the fold.
Parkinson’s vice-presidents are Cam Scorey and Colin Poole, while treasurer is Amy McFadyen. Netball managers are Kathie Dawson and Teneisha Deery, while football manager is Aaron Moor
There are 24 on committee, include Pell and Rowe.
The club started training on November and a feature of the 2023 season will be an appearance by Collingwood great (and Brownlow Medallist) Dane Swan, who is playing a game with the club this year.
– Jason Leocata will lead Stanhope Football Netball Club for a third season and is expecting a similarly strong showing from the club’s on-field and court representatives.
Vice presidents are Graeme Nurse and junior vice president is Kara Canny, while Brent Sutton is treasurer and the secretary is Ben Condell.
Nurse, a former player with the club, and Canny (a league best and fairest from last year in netball competition) are new to the vice presidential roles.
Stanhope has appointed Mark Adamson, last year’s senior assistant coach, as coach for 2023 and Tongala recruit Adam Lovison will take charge of club fitness in an assistant coaching role.
“We only have the reserves coach to finalise,” Leocata said.
He said the Lions had a majority of its playing personnel back on board and early signs, from the opening three weeks of training, were promising.
“We will have another week of training this week before the Christmas break,” he said.
Leocata said the netball teams had held trials and were excited by the return to the club of Fleur Nurse (wife of vice president Graeme), and Erin Hopkins.
They are both previous players with the club and will combine with Felicity Hall to coach A and B-grade.
“Erin hasn’t been involved in the club for a decade, having been at Shepparton Swans, while Fleur will also be welcomed back,” Leocata said.
– There is no change at the top for Girgarre Football Netball Club as president Matthew Graetz will again lead the club off the field.
Century goal-kicking coach Damian Cupido is returning to lead the Kangaroos post the club’s first Kyabram district league finals campaign in 20 years.
Brendan Nicholson is vice-president and another familiar Kangaroos name Simon Tomasini is his junior partner. Courtney Baumann is in the joint role as secretary/treasurer and a strong general committee has eight members.
At its annual general meeting the club recognised the role of Chris Milnes, who retired from his role on the committee after a decade of service — including as vice-president.
Tim Hancock has been named reserves coach of the club for 2023, while co-coaches of the Under-18 team are Billie Gahan and Brock Peirce.
Sheree Starling has taken on the A-grade netball coaching role, replacing Holly Nelson, while Kalliyah Hawker and Rachele Camin are also new coaches.
– Premiership winning Lancaster Football Netball Club president Steve Elliott will return to a co-presidential role after a decision was made to share duties between he and fomer Under-18 coach Michael Mott.
Elliott and Mott will be co-presidents of the Wombats for 2023, the latter having stepped down as coach of the under age team after five years and a memorable in 2019 grand final win.
The pair expect the Wombats playing stocks to be very similar, with coach Tom Davies re-appointed for the coming season.
Davies younger brother, Luke, has taken on a vice presidential role at the club alongside reserves premiership captain Stephen Grima. Davies replaces Rikki Busch, who was last season’s co-vice president alongside Grima.
“There may be a couple of retirees, but that is about it,” Elliott said.
The club had a terrific response to its AGM, with 30 people at the meeting.
“We hope to add a couple of teams this year by having Under-15 and Under-17 netball teams.
“We only had the one junior netball team last year,” Elliott said.
Co-presidents is nothing new at Lancaster, with having shared the role with Rod O’Neill in 2020-21.
Taya Hayes is again the treasurer and Casey Cooper is secretary of the club, taking over the role from Administrator of the Year Nicole Elliott.
Cooper is a former netballer at the club who has been on the committee for the past two years.
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