By Tara Murray
New Sunbury Kangaroos women’s coach Brian Millet is keen to help the side go to the next level, while assisting with the development of the next generation.
The Kangaroos have played finals in all three years of having a team, but they haven’t been able to get any further than a preliminary final.
Millet, who is passionate about women’s football, is moving back to Sunbury and saw the Kangaroos as a good place to be.
“I grew up in Sunbury 30 years ago,” he said. “I had one year here [the Kangaroos] in 1999 and I’m back here 20 years later.
“I’ve got a couple of girls myself and that’s the reason why I started coaching women.
“I’ve been coaching girls down town in Ivanhoe, so I just wanted to get back into coaching up here. It’s good to be back at the Kangaroos.”
The Kangaroos have already started pre-season with the core group of players from the last few years returning.
Millet said he thought this role would be a really good challenge.
“I looked at the ladder and they finished third and there’s a couple of good teams like Aberfeldie and Keilor, so we’ve got something to aim for,” he said.
“If we can improve over the pre-season and off-season, we’ll have a good season.”
The club is also hoping to get an under-18s girls side back up and running.
The Kangaroos had a team last year, but weren’t able to get the numbers for a team this year.
Millet and under-18s girls coach Ben Pettman are hoping that the move to the Essendon District Football League for the under-18s will help encourage players to join the side. The women’s side already plays in the EDFL.
The club’s junior girls sides have previously played in the AFL Goldfields competition.
Pettman, who has long been involved at the Kangaroos, said the time was right for him to step into coaching with his daughter Sophie to be part of the team.
Pettman is encouraging anyone who is interested in playing under-18 girls football to come down to training.
“I’ve been helping my brother with the reserves football for the last seven years. I’ve been his runner and we’ve made it to five grand finals,” Pettman said.
“I’ve been helping out junior coaches [of my kids] and helping out at training and game day.
“I’m always involved in what the kids are doing and I decided this year is the year to take it on myself and step up.”
The under-18s and women’s sides are training together to help build the connection between the sides.
Millet said this was important was they look to build the whole female program at the club.
“Girls footy is real steamrolling. We’re hoping to get young girls coming in and get a team this year and make and impact. Hopefully we have a good enough program that they want to stay here.
“Boys have hogged it for 150 years, now girls want to have a bit of fun.
“If you want a game and want to have a crack this is the place to be.”
For more information, call Brian on 0425 759 706 or Ben on 0414 415 534.
