Werribee Tigers have unveiled a number of key coaching moves in the Victorian Football League.
Heading a lengthy list of acquisitions is the arrival of Peter Riccardi, who will take over as midfield coach.
Riccardi played 288 games at the highest level with Geelong and has since turned to coaching with a head role at North Shore in the Geelong Football League his latest.
Keenan Reynolds, who played 86 league games with North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, is the new backline coach.
Noted for his ability to make good position, Reynolds was rarely beaten in aerial contests.
Jacob Spolding will be in charge of the forward line.
Spolding is a dual premiership player with North Ballarat in the VFL.
He was the senior coach of Newtown-Chilwell in the GFL.
Chris Gilham shuffles into the role of opposition analysis after stints as reserves and line coach.
Michael McMaster, a 1993 Werribee premiership player and a year earlier best and fairest, will be the match day runner.
Former player Phil O’Keefe, who is a senior premiership coach with Parkside in the Western Region Football League, is the new development coach, while Nick Condos remains backline coach of the development squad.
New coach John Lamont is thrilled with the quality of inclusions.
“It is great to have former Werribee players like ‘Shooter’ [O’Keefe] and ‘Mixer’ [McMaster] coming back to our club,” he said.
“I am really pleased with the coaching group we have assembled with our players being the obvious beneficiaries.
“Getting someone of the quality and knowledge of Peter Riccardi is enormous for the club, as is the acquisition of Jacob Spolding.
“I was keen to get Geelong-based coaches involved and Riccardi and Spolding meet that need, with Peter’s wealth of AFL experience and Jacob’s VFL experience, plus they have both been coaching their own teams.”
Tigers operations manager Stuart Balloch said the club will announce more coaching changes in the coming weeks.
