Tara Murray
New Diggers Rest coach Shaun Campbell wasn’t planning on coaching again, but that didn’t last long.
Having coached his own side and been involved in Western Bulldogs AFLW program as assistant coach, Campbell was content on finishing his career as just a player.
But after just one season at the Burras, he has been appointed the Riddell District Football League club’s coach replacing Jamie Lobb.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “I did a 360 with my footy career to be honest.
“I wanted to train once a week and play. I was sick of training.
“Lobby [former coach Jamie Lobb] asked me if I would be interested in coaching and I jumped at it.”
Campbell said he was quite content never coaching again and if he did, it had to be the right fit.
He said the Burras were led really well off field and it had been a very welcoming environment which made it an easier decision to step back into coaching.
Campbell, who has claimed several league best and fairests over his playing career, said he loves the challenge of being a player-coach.
“There’s a unique set of challenges that I really enjoy,” he said. “Hopefully I can bring some of the things I’ve learned and utilise that going forward.”
Campbell said he had really enjoyed the move to the RDFL and that the footy was of a similar standard to what he had been playing.
He said he loved the country feel it still had despite being a metro league.
Campbell’s time in charge starts after a disappointing end to the 2024 season for the Burras after finishing third on the ladder.
“We went out in straight sets,” he said. “I’ve never finished a season like that.
“I thought we did a good job to get where we were with the injuries that we had. It was still disappointing though.”
Campbell said most of their core group was returning again and they would build their side around them.
He said they had added one or two players so far who were returning to the club and in talks with some others.
“We’ve lost one or two,” he said. “We have a core group of 20-22 guys and we’ve got some good depth with how successful our reserves have been going back-to-back-to-back.
“Hopefully we’ll be up there again.”
The Burras kick off pre-season training on November 20.
