EDITORIAL: Can't knock enthusiasm
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BRENDAN Fevola wants to coach the Ovens and Murray next year.
The former AFL superstar has officially put his hand up to replace Matt Pendergast.
It shapes as the biggest coaching appointment in the league’s proud representative history.
Fevola, who is entering his third season at Yarrawonga, revealed he had been thinking about coaching for a while and leading the league’s interleague team would be the perfect place to start.
“I want to do it,” Fevola said.
“I’m sick of people saying we’re not the No. 1 league, when we obviously are — we’ll just have to prove it.
“Coaching is something I want to do and this would be a great opportunity.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”
The two-time Coleman medallist, who booted 623 goals in his AFL career, said he would be helped in the role by Yarrawonga champion Craig Ednie, should he be given the job.
Ovens and Murray boss Aaron Mc-Glynn welcomed Fevola’s interest.
“We’re happy to hear he is interested and more than happy to speak to him about it but, like anyone else, we’ll go through the process and go from there,” McGlynn said.
The O and M has had mixed results at representative level over the past few seasons, with a shock 45-point loss to the Peninsula league this year following a comfortable win over the Hampden league a year earlier.
The Ovens and Murray will meet the Hampden league again in the 5 versus 6 match-up next season.
That match will be played on the Border in May, with a venue yet to be determined.
Lavington Oval and Wangaratta’s Norm Minns Oval shape as the obvious contenders to host the game.
Despite boasting some of the biggest names in country football, the O and M has struggled in recent seasons to get its best players to represent the league.
Fevola said that wouldn’t be an issue, should he get the job.
“We’ll get all the stars of the comp playing and we could get a crowd of 6000 there,” Fevola said.
“We’re at home next year and it would be massive for the league.”