By Lachlan Onions
The Penola Football Club last week announced Brad Maney will continue as A Grade coach for 2023.
Maney said he was over the moon to continue as coach of the Eagles.
“It has never been lost on me how much of an honour it is to coach the club,” he said.
Maney’s first season in charge has been far from easy as the Eagles have claimed just the one win this season.
However, despite the difficult results on the field, he said there has been plenty of growth off the field.
“It hasn’t been the easiest season for my first year but I’m really thankful the committee have put their faith in me to lead the club forward,” Maney said.
“Hopefully next season is a lot more successful on-field but we have made a lot of strides off-field that I am proud of.”
He said it was a credit to the Penola Football Club for being able to look past the results and see the growth which has occurred internally.
The Eagles coach also praised the playing group for the support and faith they have shown him each week.
Maney said it was at first a challenge for him to coach whilst on the field as a player.
“It is a hard balancing act but definitely in the second half of the season, I have found that balance a lot better and I think it has helped the players,” he said.
With the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara football season set to come to a conclusion this weekend for Penola, Maney said work for 2023 started “two or three weeks ago.”
“I would love to say I will take two or three months off and completely refresh but I think that’s unfair to the Penola Football Club,” he said.
“I need to continue to build my relationships with each player and each stakeholder.”
He said recruitment is already underway for 2023 and the club has some “really good things in place” for recruitment.
“We have been heavily into recruiting and trying to add some players into our group,” Maney said.
He is excited for the future of the club as a number of young players have had breakout seasons in his first campaign at the helm.
“I think this year has been really invaluable with the amount of young players we have been able to get games into,” Maney said.
He sides the likes of Taj Messenger, Kaleb Messenger, Jacob Robbie, Caleb Lythgo, Gerard Merrett, Sam Klemm and James Foggo are all young players who will have a massive part in the Eagles’ next premiership tilt.
“I think a lot of growth is going to happen,” Maney said.
