Tara Murray
Daniel Brady is looking forward to the challenge of coaching the Sunbury Lions women’s team for a second time in the Essendon District Football League.
Brady was announced as the Lions new coach last week, replacing Matt Tremellen, who has joined the Calder Cannons.
Brady said it was exciting to be back in the coaching seat. He coached the side in 2021-22. Brady has more than 40 years experience in football as a coach and player.
“I didn’t want to give up coaching the side in the first place,” he said. “Work meant that I couldn’t go on.
“Some of the girls have said we have unfinished business. It’s really exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”
Brady returns to a side that is coming off a division 2 grand final.
He said having watched the side the past few years there had been a lot of growth in the group and he was keen to take that further.
Many of the group has already re-signed.
“I’ve watched them evolve from when I first started,” he said. “Hopefully I can take my footy knowledge to that next level.”
The Lions are set to have a bit of list turnover, with some players trying at higher levels and others have moved away.
Skipper Lauren Giles, who tore her ACL this year, is set to remain on the sidelines and will help Brady.
It means the club will have a new leadership group which Brady said was exciting as well.
One area Brady said he was keen to invest in was the club’s young talent.
“We’ve got juniors coming through,” he said. “I want to focus on the juniors coming through and we will look to get games into them.
“Grace Azzopardi, who was the Calder Cannons captain, has nominated as is her home club when she’s not playing VFL [Victorian Football League] which is exciting.”
Club trainer Shaun Synan has been named assistant coach as he looks to develop his coaching skills.
Brady said he was keen to help Synan get into the coaching ranks as he has a passion for that side of things.
The Lions will start training on November 18 and will have a pre-season camp as well.
There is a meet the coach night on November 13 at 7pm at Clarke Oval.
Brady said anyone who was interested in playing was encouraged to come down. He said whether people had played before or not, they were welcome to join the side.
Interested players: forms.gle/4tdm7V9extVe7YTXA
