By Tara Murray
Riddell will have co-coaches for next year’s Riddell District Football League season.
The Bombers recently announced that Justin Belleville would step up and join Jamie Elliott in the senior coaching role.
Elliott has coached the side by himself for the last three seasons, which has included taking the side to two grand finals in that time.
Belleville, who coached the Bombers under-19 team this year, said he and Elliott spoke about coaching together and thought it was the best move heading forward for the club.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“It’s good young group and it’s the best thing for the club. We’ve got a few young kids who will step up into the side and a few new recruits as well.
“We’ve got some good assistant coaches behind us too.”
Belleville said he was always interested in coaching after he had hung up the boots.
He had a successful playing career at the Sunbury Lions, before moving across to Riddell and played in the Bombers’ 2005 and 2006 premierships.
Belleville said after falling short in the grand final for the second time in three years to Diggers Rest, there was one area he thought they needed to improve.
“We need to get a bit fitter,” he said.
“The game style will be tweaked a bit as well. I don’t think there will be a drop off.”
The Bombers have also announced the first of their recruits for next season.
Riley Paterson comes across from Gisborne, while Ethan Foreman returns to the Bombers having being playing with Kyneton.
Foreman kicked 58 goals this year in the Bendigo Football League, finishing fourth in the league’s goal kicking.
Belleville said Foreman would give them an another option in the forward line, which already contains the RDFL’s leading goal kicker from this year, Haydn Ross.
He said more recruits would be announced in the coming weeks.
On the other side, the Bombers have lost a couple of players to retirement and a couple returning back to their former club.
Peter Robertson and Brayden Allen aren’t expected to play on, while Scott and Tim Walsh are going back to Gisborne after three years at the Bombers.
Belleville said between their recruits and younger players coming through they would be able to fill those spots.
MORE RDFL NEWS
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/waterman-dives-into-new-role-at-rockbank/
