Tara Murray
Macedon has gone for stability having re-signed Al Meldrum for the next three Riddell District Football League seasons.
Meldrum, who was appointed the club’s senior men’s coach after the 2019 season, will continue to lead the club until the end of 2026.
Meldrum said while he was happy to sign on for another three years, it was about what was best for the club going forward long term.
“I’ve been around footy for a long time and stability is pretty important at community level footy these days,” he said.
“I have a pretty good understanding of where the club is at the challenge we have compared to other sides in comparison, in regards to growing populations.
“It was important that the club was keen to go forward in the same way the next three years and how we want to go about it.”
Having played for the Cats, including having won a Bowen Medal, the club is home for Meldrum. With his kids now coming through the club, he’s keen to provide a pathway for them and any other kid coming through.
“I want to make sure we are in a good spot for kids to want to play open age football,” he said.
“The last two years we’ve fielded two under-17 sides. Last year both were in A-grade and this year one in A-grade and one in B-grade.
“Jason Cooke has done a super job with our under-19s and they are in a top two-three position.
“At the start of the year it was scratchy if we would get a team up. We want to shape that environment for the young people coming through to make it a place, where it’s a tough decision to leave and an easy decision to stay.”
The Cats in their announcement said that Meldrum’s commitment to the club is second to none.
“His ability to nurture & develop the transitioning young talent from our junior club along with his ability to communicate with the greater playing group will ensure the MFNC’s future is in a great place,” it said in the announcement.
The Cats said this would be the first of many announcements as the club seeks stability with the football program and works towards the ultimate success.
While the Cats are looking at the future, there is still plenty at stake in this year’s season.
The Cats sit in seventh spot, but are just percentage outside of a finals spot.
The Cats face Romsey and Melton Centrals, which are fighting for fifth spot, and the bottom two teams Lancefield and Western Rams in the run home.
Meldrum said they have a great opportunity in the run home.
“They are games that we won in the first half of the season,” he said. “There’s opportunity more than anything else and we still believe we are good enough to win these games,
“The ladder will then speak for itself. It’s in our own hands.”
