Sport
22 December, 2022
Maryborough bolsters coaching staff with Matt Johnston appointed as senior assistant coach
The era of newly appointed senior football coach Coby Perry at the Maryborough Football Netball Club is truly beginning to take hold around town. Not only has excitement grown for the popular appointment, but training numbers are up and there’s...
The era of newly appointed senior football coach Coby Perry at the Maryborough Football Netball Club is truly beginning to take hold around town.
Not only has excitement grown for the popular appointment, but training numbers are up and there’s a genuine sense of direction for the club to grow in 2023 ahead of their opening round Bendigo Football Netball League (BFNL) encounter with Castlemaine in April.
That wave of momentum has only grown, with Perry appointing experienced Maryborough local Matt Johnston to an assistant coaching role with the senior footballers in what is a homecoming for someone who has achieved plenty in sport around the Maryborough area.
Johnston has excelled in both football and basketball previously, with his football plaudits including earning a premiership at Strathfieldsaye in 2014, returning to the Magpies in 2016 for a two-year stint which included a tenure as their under 18 coach — their last team before returning to the BFNL last season.
Now, though, the focus is on helping Perry through his first senior coaching role by helping develop the wave of young talent coming through at Maryborough at the moment.
“Coby and I have had a good relationship for a number of years now, and he reached out pretty quickly when he got the senior coaching gig. It’s exciting to be back and working alongside him,” Johnston said.
“There’s so many positives around the club at the moment. I think the community is really strong, there’s many young players. I was involved in the under 18s a few years ago, and they fell away, so it’s good to see them back, and the work that Brady (Neill, under 18s coach) has done is positive. To get the chance to work with these younger guys coming through is exciting for me.”
Johnston says he is looking forward to building the profile of young players in terms of their professionalism, looking to develop more than just their best traits in football.
“Many of the young people who I’ll work with are young midfielders, which suits me. It was my position when I played, and also Coby’s position. Together, I think we can provide a lot of learning and opportunities for them,” he said.
“There’s so many learning opportunities that can take place — not just with voice or leadership for example, but with the professionalism of Bendigo footy now with games being filmed, being able to sit down with the young guys, and going through starting positions at stoppages and their work rate away from the ball, that excites me as well.
“I think the win/loss record isn’t always necessarily something you look for in the positive column, but the work that is happening off the field is extremely positive, one that’s strengthening the club and the community, and that will lead to on-field success eventually.”
Perry said the appointment of Johnston has been a huge bonus for his club, which has enjoyed a solid pre-season to this point, particularly with the boosted training numbers helping drills to be completed smoothly.
“We’ve made great progress. We had 40 on the track in our last session before Christmas, and now to have Matt on board gives us great momentum. We’re now having a break for six weeks before returning on January 31, and we can’t wait to get back into it already,” he said.
Like many others around the BFNL, Perry is a big fan of what Johnston can bring to the Magpies, and is eager to start working with him.
“We have a great relationship together. I started playing with him in 2013, it was my first year and he was one of the leaders of the club, and we’ve always stayed in touch and had a great friendship. It’s great to have him back,” he said.
“To have a bloke of Matt’s calibre to assist the young group and help them with his VFL experience, as a premiership player in the Bendigo Football Netball League, and as a senior best-and-fairest winner, his experience and knowledge with where we’re at is perfect for our club as well.
“Matt fits our bill perfectly for development on and off the field. He’s ultra-professional, so we are looking forward to seeing what he brings to our guys on and off the field.”
Most importantly for Perry, it’s a step in the right direction for bringing pride — and local people — back contributing to the club in a big way.
“Matty is a Maryborough boy through and through. He played his junior football here, and some senior football, while he contributes in basketball through the Blazers. To have a local guy like him involved is perfect for where we are going,” he said.