Tara Murray
After spending two years in the AFL system, Nick Coughlan had fallen out of love with football.
Not sure where he wanted to play, he ended up at Werribee where he still remains seven years later.
This year he adds the title of captain next to his name for this year’s Victorian Football League season.
“It is pretty cool,” he said.
“I had never thought about it. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything to start with.
“Now the work begins.”
The progression to captain doesn’t come as much as a surprise having been part of the leadership group the last four to five years.
Last season, he was one of the stars as the club narrowly missed out on playing finals.
Coughlan admits he likes being a leader on the field with his voice, which he jokes means less running.
He said so far to him not much had changed since being appointed, with former captains Michael Sodomaco, Tom Gribble and Dom Brew all still at the club.
“It’s all pretty much the same,” he said. “The thing with most clubs is that with a leadership group everyone from the group speaks rather than one person.
“I went to primary school with Dom and I lived with Tom for two years during COVID. I’ve known Sods for seven years.”
Coughlan started playing football at Albury before playing for the Murray Bushrangers and then spending time with the Greater Western Sydney Academy and Footscray’s VFL teams.
He was then picked up by St Kilda in the 2015 rookie draft before being delisted at the end of the 2017 season.
Coughlan said he had realised that playing at the highest level wasn’t for him. He joined Werribee and hasn’t looked back.
“I have loved it,” he said. “It’s the first thing I’ve done footy wise outside of the AFL system.
“It has made me love footy again. I’d had enough [in the AFL], I got more excited for my first day of work than going to training at an AFL club.
“Footy is meant to be fun, not a job. The club got me a job through a major sponsor as well and they’ve helped me more than I ever thought they would.”
Coughlan said at times the workload juggling football and work, but said football was a good outlet.
For a second straight season, Coughlan has started the season on the injury list.
He said everything was going well and he would hopefully only miss the first four games.
Despite being on the side lines, he was still in the action during Werribee’s first round loss to the Brisbane Lions.
“I was the most vocal water boy ever,” he said.
“It was pretty cool to help out and be able to talk to the defenders at quarter time and half time.”
While disappointed not to get the four points, Coughlan said the match showed they were on the right track.
“We’ve got a bit of confidence after the weekend,’ he said. “Brisbane are meant to be one of the top sides and we played in 33 degree heat.
“We’ve been together for a while and have a strong connection on that front, we just need a bit of luck and hopefully we can win some close matches and play finals.”
Werribee’s side on the weekend was one of the youngest ones it has fielded in a while. Coughlan said there were quite a few young guys coming through that he was excited about.
“Jesse Clark is coming back from an ACL last year. “ he said. “Jay Dahlhaus has had a really good pre-season.
“He’s a small forward with so much energy.
“Noah Gribble and Matthew Keast on the wings. Hopefully they’re the ones taking the reins going forward.”
Werribee had a bye on the weekend.
This week Werribee is back on the road, travelling to face Southport on Saturday.
