Bridport coach daring to dream
Let’s go Bridport!
SEAGULLS THROUGH TO CLUB’S FIRST SENIOR NTFA GRAND FINAL
Bridport Football Club senior coach, Josh Whelan celebrates after the final siren of the preliminary final.
Josh Whelan has never played in a winning premiership team and now he is leading the Bridport Football Club to the NTFA Division Two Grand Final this Saturday.
The first-year Seagulls coach has been overwhelmed by the support he’s already received for his team since beating reigning premiers East Coast Swans at St Helens on the weekend.
“It kind of means nearly everything,” Whelan said.
“I never really knew what to expect at the start of the year because I have never coached a senior side before and I really didn’t know what I was getting myself in for.
“I knew I had the nucleus of a good playing group to work with and if we could get a few good recruits, we would be in a good position.
“Bringing in eight or nine players can take a bit of time to gel but everyone has seamlessly worked together as the year has gone on.
“Making a Grand Final was a vision when I started coaching but I didn’t think it would happen in the first year.”
Bridport will play last years’ runners up, Perth, who will be desperate to redeem themselves after last year’s disappointment.
Whelan says he’s happy to take the underdog tag.
“They’ve had the week off which I don’t know if it is good or bad. We have definitely got the momentum. I didn’t want us to peak too early, and I definitely think we have another gear to go up, so that is exciting.”
The Seagulls have a full squad to choose from ahead of the big dance with a large crowd expected to watch their final training session at Bridport on Thursday night.
“It would be great for people to get around the boys and stay for a drink and dinner after training,” he said.
The Grand Final berth comes just four years after the club exited a recess period and Whelan said it had been awesome for the community to be a part of the rise.
“The people behind the scenes of this club on the committee have done a fantastic job because it wasn’t easy to come out of recess. We were on the end of a lot of beatings in that first year back and people looked down on us,” he said.
“This is a good story for the town, and it would mean so much to everyone.
“We want to say a big thank you to the community who have rallied behind us. All the well wishes in the last few days have been pretty overwhelming. It has been an unreal ride so far and hopefully we can cap it off.”
Bridport football club’s senior side secured their first ever grand final berth with a convincing win over the East Coast Swans on the weekend.
Cal Mulder gets a kick away under pressure from Swans captain Marcus Haley. Photo Tasha Maynard.
East Coast’s Sam Talbot is wrapped up by Thomas Barnett. Pics Jessie Groves.