Wodonga Raiders reappoint coach Marc Almond for a second season

Almond was appointed coach at Birallee Park this season after replacing Jarrod Hodgkin at the helm.

He originally signed a one year deal with an option of a second year if both parties were in agreement.

Despite enduring a winless season so far, Raiders officials have pinned their faith in Almond to lead the club back up the ladder next year.

Almond said it was an easy decision for him to coach again

"Obviously it's been a tough year from a win-loss point of view but that was to be expected after so many departures over the off-season," Almond said.

"It was always going to be a rebuilding year.

"But it was an easy decision to make when the club approached me about my plans for next season.

"I'm really glad that it's been ticked off."

Almond boasts an extensive coaching record spanning more than a decade.

The 43-year-old has had coaching stints at Lavington, Howlong, Dederang-Mt Beauty as well as an assistant coach under Daryn Cresswell at Birallee Park.

He also coached rival O&M club Corowa-Rutherglen in 2018-19.

The highlight so far has been coaching Howlong to the flag in 2010.

Almond is among the most passionate coaches in the competition and is a self-confessed footy nut.

"I still get a buzz from coaching, especially from the Monday to Friday stuff more than anything," he said.

"Just the teaching and mentoring side of coaching and it's been well documented how many kids we have.

"It's been unique in that regard because usually you only have a handful of kids coming through at any given time.

"But most times this year we've had 16-players that have been 21 or under.

"At times I've felt like I've been coaching an underage side.

"So I've had to strip it right back and not focus so much on structure but focus more on getting the best out of these kids while remaining competitive."

While the Raiders are yet to win a match, they have remained largely competitive and have only suffered two blowout losses against Wangaratta and Lavington.

"Obviously we would have liked to have won a couple of matches," Almond said.

"But I don't think we have been as bad as our ladder position suggests.

"Normally in the O&M if you are on the bottom of the ladder you are getting belted by 100 points every week.

"But we feel we have been competitive in most matches apart from two."

ALSO IN SPORT

Almond said the focus now was to recruit some experienced players to complement the youth.

The club has beefed up its recruiting department in a bid to help attract the players necessary to return as a finals force.

"We have got a lot more people involved in recruiting and aim to hit the ground running in that regard," he said.

"It's no secret that it's getting harder to recruit and that the landscape has changed.

"There is not as much player movement as previously and the player points system is a big factor as well."

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