A former Gisborne star has been appointed coach of the club for next year’s Bendigo Football League season.
The Bulldogs announced on Friday that club hall of fame inductee Brad Fox had been appointed coach for next season.
He takes over from premiership winning coach Rob Waters, who stays on as an assistant coach.
The club announced that Waters had informed them of his decision not to continue on as senior coach, having coached the club the last three seasons.
“The GFNC is delighted and excited to announce the appointment of Brad Fox as senior football coach,” the club said on social media.
“Brad has been involved in 16 grand finals across the AFL, Riddell District, Essendon District and Bendigo football leagues with a total of 13 premierships.
“After playing for the Richmond and Essendon AFL clubs, Brad joined the GFNC in 1994 as a 24-year-old captain-coach.
“Over his first three seasons as coach with Gisborne, the club reached the preliminary final twice and blooded a generation of local footballers that went on to enjoy great success.
“To accommodate work commitments, Brad stepped down to the role of playing-assistant coach in 1997 and played for Gisborne in the hat-trick of premierships in 1997, 1998 and 1999.”
After leaving Gisborne, Fox was a premiership playing-assistant coach at Keilor.
In 2001 and 2002, he was ‘opposition team analyst’ for the Brisbane Lions in the first two of their AFL Premierships and then Victorian manager for the Lions in the premiership year of 2003 and the Grand Final loss of 2004.
He then had a stint at Rupertswood before returning to Gisborne and was an assistant coach in the club’s under-18 premiership.
Fox will be supported by assistant coaches Dallas Normington, Shaun Cassidy and Waters.
The club thanked Waters for his work.
“Rob’s enthusiasm and experience has been fundamental in the development of our players, culminating in an inspirational win in the 2022 BFNL grand final.”
