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By: Daniel Cencic
Twitter: @DC_EFL
A burning desire to coach again has seen Brett Rowe land back at Jubilee Park.
Taking over from outgoing senior coach Patrick Bowden, Rowe is no stranger to Ringwood, serving as an assistant last decade and playing in the Redbacks’ Division 2 flag in 2005.
The new Ringwood mentor began his coaching career with Nunawading, followed by stints with VAFA clubs Ormond and Yarra Valley.
Most recently, Rowe has served as an assistant coach at Division 1 club East Ringwood under Marcus Buzaglo.
“I’ve really enjoyed picking up the coaching bug again,” Rowe said.
“I had a year off last year as it can wear you down a bit coaching, I really found out that I wanted to coach again last year and working with ‘Buzz’ (Roos senior coach Marcus Buzaglo) really helped because he knows his footy – that gave me the impetus to coach again.”
Ringwood finished atop the Division 3 ladder last season to earn a double chance in the finals, before narrow losses to Park Orchards and arch-rival Heathmont saw it bundled out in straight sets.
Appointed in October, Rowe has been impressed with the group’s resolve after its shock finals exit last season which followed its 2016 preliminary final loss.
“The thing that I’ve been really impressed with is they’ve driven themselves,” he said.
“It’s very easy to be down after two prelim losses and think it’s all too hard (but) everything I’ve put to them whether it’s been the running they’ve just knuckled down and have been prepared to work as a group.
“They’ve really bought in to the game-style that I want to play which has been really encouraging.”
The Redbacks have welcomed fellow 2005 premiership player Kyle Matthews back into the fold as playing assistant coach, after an eight-year VFL career captaining the Casey Scorpions from 2008-2012.
Matthews won the EFL’s Wright Medal in 2005 for the best and fairest player in Division 2, was subsequently named in the VFL Team of the Year on multiple occasions, and has more recently held assistant roles at Blackburn and Seaford respectively.
Rowe’s former premiership teammate has slotted in seamlessly at Jubilee Park.
“It’s great to have Kyle back, he’s brought a wealth of knowledge with him from being at that VFL level and being a captain at Casey (and) he’s brought some different drills and different ideas,” Rowe said.
“He’s been excellent and the boys have really embraced him as well.”
The Redbacks have topped up with running half-back flanker Dylan Blackburn who joins the club from Balwyn, former Bayswater inside-midfielder Justin Dight, along with versatile swingman Mitch Jacobs from Kilsyth and Mitch Farmer from East Ringwood – the brother of club captain Trent.
Trent Farmer kicked 81 goals in 2017. PICTURE: Ringwood FC Facebook page.
Skipper Trent Farmer looks set for another stellar season, after topping the Division 3 goal-kicking last year, along with being named captain of the SEN Division 3 Team of the Year and winning the Edie Medal as the best and fairest player in the division.
Rowe believes Trent has a unique opportunity to be part of something special, with the club tasting premiership success just once in the past 40 years.
“He leads from the front, gives good voice at training – when he speaks all the players listen,” Rowe said.
“It’s a great opportunity for him from a personal perspective that he could be the next premiership captain.
“There’s only been one premiership captain in the last 40 years at the club so it’s a great opportunity to be part of the club’s history.”
Watching on eagerly last finals series, Rowe has identified the key areas for his side to improve upon.
“I had a look at the prelim against Heathmont, they were so exciting to watch (but) I’ve been trying to teach them when to slow down and ease up a bit when we’ve got control of the footy,” he said.
“Nothing beats the experience of playing finals footy – they’ve now had two years of it most of them and I think they’ll be well-prepared this time if we get to that point or even during the year when games have got a bit of momentum.”
Finals-bound is the direction Rowe is aiming to lead his new group.
“You’ve got to just take every game as it is – we’d like to think we’ll be part of the finals this year,” he said.
“Once you get there, it’s a new season when the finals come around – whatever happens during the finals you never know.
“As long as we’re thereabouts when the whips are cracking, that’s all we can ask as a group.”
Ringwood will open its season against Heathmont at H.E Parker Reserve on Saturday, April 7.
