In a change of tact, Young has installed Roy Jewitt as coach for 2019.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
For the first time in over 20 years the Cherrypickers will have a non-playing coach.
Their former captain-coach replaces James Woolford at the helm after a disappointing year.
Young is sitting last on the Group Nine ladder with just two wins to their credit so far.
President Garry Lucas said the club was looking for a change of direction and thought having a non-playing coach was the right way to go about it.
“It is something different,” Lucas said.
“At the moment the captain-coach doesn’t seem to be working as well as we want it to.”
Jewitt had two stints with the Cherrypickers, including one as their captain-coach in 1997 and 1998.
He also had captain-coach roles with Group 20 clubs Yanco-Wamoon and Darlington Point-Coleambally.
The Englishman is excited to come on board.
Despite having a poor season, he believes there is plenty to like about the club.
“There is bags of talent and a lot of good players there but the results haven’t been on the board,” Jewitt said.
“I guess it is a good position to come into as there is only one way we can go.”
Looking to put his own spin on things, Jewitt wants to make sure the club’s culture is conducive to getting results on the board.
“I want them to be happy to come to training and to enjoy it it has to be fun,” he said. “That is what I am going make it.
“Hopefully players want to be part of what I am trying to achieve.”
It has been a big fall from grace this season for Young, who finished fourth last season.
Despite having little player turnover their lost their first eight games and look set to win the wooden spoon with three rounds left to finish.
Woolford is undecided on where his future lies.
He has spent the last three seasons back with his junior club including the last two as captain-coach.
He put his hand up for another season, in partnership with Lucas, before the club decided to go in a different direction.
“Results haven’t gone our way this year and the first thing to go in most sides is probably the coach,” Woolford said.
“I take full responsibility for the way the team is going.”
Woolford spent half of the season on the sidelines after breaking his arm and after a win over Albury on Sunday is looking to finish the season off strong before making a decision on what he will do next year.
Lucas said the club wanted to talk to Woolford about his plans for the future.
READ MORE
