By Tara Murray
Macedon has locked in its coaching panel for next year’s Riddell District Football League women’s season.
With inaugural coach Damian Slater departing this season’s premiers after moving away, the club has locked in co-coaches for 2025.
Chris Nolan and Bevan Uren will share the role, while Tamara Collins and Tilly McDonald have been appointed assistant coaches.
Nolan brings a range of experience having been involved in the talent pathway system, while Uren has previously coached the Cats under-19 boys team.
Collins, who was the key in setting up the program, has coached junior and youth league girls while has also been involved at the Calder Cannons.
Nolan said the group wanted to help the women’s side continue to develop.
“It’s coming into my third year at the club and committed to help all their programs,” he said.
‘The women’s space interested me. I work across the senior program and couldn’t take it outright and myself got together with Bevan.
“We wanted to keep Tamara involved and Tilly is a returning player from injury and had shown a little bit of interest in coaching.”
Nolan said he was passionate about the growth of the female football space and that included off field as well.
He said the plan was for the club to have a female coach coaching the women’s side in 2026.
Nolan said there was a real one club approach to help the club succeed.
“It’s important and I’m happy to play my part and have an even contribution,” he said. “I have a genuine passion and want to grow it.
“There will likely be a couple of games where we’ll let Tamara and Tilly take charge. I want to see the competition and clubs improve and still want to have fun.
“It comes back to that and wins and losses are a bonus.”
Nolan said it seemed like they would keep most of the current playing group for next year with the club having created an environment that they want to stay part of.
He said with the club entering their third season they were now an established club. Nolan said he said he didn’t feel like there was any extra pressure on the group despite winning the premiership this year.
As well as making two straight senior women’s grand finals, the club’s youth league girls have won back-to-back premierships
Nolan said they wanted to continue to bring those girls through into the senior side.
“Some of those girls played this year and did quite well,” he said. “They bring that spunk.
“It’s a different era now, they can continue through the ranks.”
The Cats are set to have a get together before Christmas and training to start in February.
