By Jonty Ralphsmith
Cranbourne President Shane Baker has provided further details behind the club’s decision to commit to a three-to-five year plan which resulted in the departure of 2022 premiership coach Steve O’Brien.
The long-time president said the club was searching for continuity after the year-to-year proposition thrust upon it by the pandemic; changing leagues from South East to Outer East to Southern; and moving to its new home-base at Livingston Reserve.
O’Brien coached the Eagles to a premiership in September, the Eagles first premiership since 2016.
But when O’Brien, and captain and loyal servant Brandon Osborne, hoisted the cup at a wet RSEA Park on 17 September, there were already discussions underway about how to sustain the club’s success.
With Tyson Barry, Luca Bellinvia, Thomas Clappers and Hudson Gardner headlining a strong-crop of 17-21 year-old senior talent that Cranbourne wants to build its next decade around, it is seeking a coach that could stick around for at least three years.
O’Brien did not want to commit beyond 2023.
“We had a couple of schooners at Silks in Cranbourne and had a chat about it (in early September),” Baker said.
“I handed him a 13-page document on how the footy department is going to look and what we need from people, and the people we need, and then I spoke to him after the grand final and he was still adamant that one year was probably it.
“He’s a ripping bloke and a very good coach, but we’re looking at where we want to get to in 2027.
“That’s not meant to exclude anyone, it’s there to get more people involved, but we need people who are in for the long haul.
“I think we still need experience, because we have an experienced group of players, so they need to get the most out of them.
“They need to have the ambition to be around for three to five years; and to have someone who can look into the future and embrace those kids as they come through, give them opportunities, teach them how to play footy and pass on our club’s core values.
“So probably experienced, but if there’s an inexperienced coach coming through and he has great ideas, we certainly wouldn’t not speak to them.”
Stability and consistent messaging for that next crop were behind the desire for a longer commitment.
While the club is aware circumstance may prevent such length of contract from being fulfilled – the incoming coach may, for example, receive a VFL coaching offer – there is a desire for the senior coach to lead a club refresh.
Osborne, Curtis Baker and Ryan Davey are among the seasoned veterans that have formed the nucleus of the list for the past decade, and goal kicker Marc Holt has retired.
If the next tier isn’t properly developed, Cranbourne risks falling down the ladder of Southern League’s division one competition as those players retire or their output drops with age.
“If you want to develop people and you want to put your stamp on kids coming through then I think it’s a great opportunity,” Baker said.
“We’ve got some great young kids so there is a real benefit there for that person.
“It is about bringing through the next generation and we have solid 21-22 year olds we want to turn into really good senior footballers.
“Also seeing out the older guys that want to retire gracefully when they get there, that’s got to be the incentive.
“We don’t want someone to come in and say it is a ready-made flag side.
“We want to win the flag every year and had the perfect coach for that.
“OB could have got us back-to-back, but going forward we want someone who can maintain a level of great performance and bring the next generation through.“
Another factor in the plan was to set up the club as a whole for the long term.
Season 2019 was the first year in 65 years that an under-19 team was not fielded by Cranbourne.
While there was a 19’s team this season, there were no thirds, in part due to early season injuries at the top having a domino effect, but also exposing a lack of depth that was once bulging.
“(The plan) was about embracing the young guys coming through and putting focus on the 19s and 17s kids and that’s the crux of it,“ Baker said.
“People needed to be involved to make that work and how we structure different areas of the footy department.
“You want to maintain that success, we have a great group of players that stick together and our retention is really good.
“They’re close mates, so we expect that to keep rolling on, but there are other elements that have to be there other than our senior guys winning flags.
“After the emotion dies down, after what seems like the greatest day of your life, you have to go back to what you set yourself for and look a fair bit forward.“
Cranbourne’s AGM is upcoming and the club hopes to have its next coach secured by the end of the first week of November.
Captain Brandon Osborne and ruckman Michael Boland are among the players already locked in for 2023.
