Tara Murray
New East Sunbury co-coach Justin Belleville thought his coaching days were over.
After a long association with Riddell, including coaching the club to the 2022 senior premiership, Belleville stepped back from coaching at the end of 2023.
But a few conversations more recently happened and Belleville will now help coach the Essendon District Football League division 2 club.
“I thought my coaching days were over,” he said. “Some friends then asked if I would have a chat.
“I liked their vision that they put forward. I had also been involved at Riddell and I had tried to build that club up.
“I said no worries and took on the role.”
Belleville joins Dave Morrice as co-coach. Morrice will be a playing co-coach.
It’ll be the first time the pair have worked together but Bellville has coached against Morrice when he was playing in the Riddell District Football League at Diggers Rest, Macedon, and Rupertswood so the pair are no strangers.
Belleville said having a co-coach has some good benefits for him stepping into the new role. He has never coached outside of the RDFL previously, so it’s something different.
“He has been up here already,” he said. “It’s easier to meet people.
“The footy is footy.”
Belleville said the focus of the pair was to try and hold rebuild the program, with the senior not winning a game since coming back into the competition.
The club was more competitive this year.
“We have not won a game in the last two years,” he said. “We are building up and that is our plan.
“We’re talking to a lot of people and it’s can be hard when you haven’t won a game in two years.
“We’re trying to sell what we want to do.”
