Gabriel Abdala takes on head coach role at Hanwood for next year

Bertacco held the head coach role for two seasons, and amicably departed from the role ahead of the club's 2024 campaign.

Gabriel Abdala will step into the position.

Taking Hanwood's third grade side to a premiership this year, Abdala has a lengthy coaching resume which includes stints at several NPL clubs.

Coaching in the Sydney NPL competition from 2012, he moved his way through junior sides up to the senior squad.

Relocating to Griffith six years ago, he has had roles with NPL Capital side Riverina Rhinos and Griffith Football Club, and NSW Country teams.

He said the call to step into the first grade role wasn't initially his plan, after taking a season away from the game in 2022.

"I personally had no intention to begin with, with first grade or anything like that, I actually enjoyed coaching the third grade," Abdala said.

"That enjoyment turned into something that maybe I want to start testing myself, keep pushing myself back into that high level.

"In conversations with Hanwood, when they mentioned that Jason Bertacco wasn't going to return as the first grade coach, that was, for me, an opportunity.

"I respect Jason quite a lot, I love his dedication, his commitment to the club, the club is as successful as it is because of what he's been able to do within the club along with the committee at Hanwood.

"I'm not someone that will step on toes or anything like that, I wanted to get his grace to do it, his 'okay' to do it, and he was quite happy for me to take the mantle and start shaping Hanwood in this new journey."

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Despite Hanwood's success this season, Abdala said he isn't feeling any pressure.

Hoping to take the side to another grand final berth in 2024, he admitted that he won't be putting pressure on the team to get through the season undefeated again.

His biggest focus will be finding Hanwood's identity on the field, hoping to establish an identifiable brand of football.

"I think is very important as a club that we have an identity, a football identity, I think that's most important, that when you go and see a club play that they understand what their identity is, what's their philosophy," he said.

"I think with a lot of coaches now with the way football is evolving, possession based football is the style of play that a lot of coaches are trying to implement, I'm no different but obviously with my own variations to that.

"Ultimately for me I now look at the challenge, Hanwood went undefeated this year and won the grand final, so now it's that challenge, can we look to repeat something like that.

"Obviously it will be difficult because now we're the team with the target on our back because we did what we were able to do this year, so I'm sure that teams in Wagga are going to be working towards not allowing that.

"In that respect, I think setting the target of having another successful season next year, being at the grand final is a target, finishing top again.

"Can we do the whole season undefeated, that's hard to say."

Acknowledging there's no better feeling than winning, Abdala said that he does believe sometimes a loss can help put a team back on the right track.

That said, he won't be going out looking to drop points next season.

"Sometimes I think a loss is good just to bring us back down, sometimes," he said.

"In saying that, no one likes to lose, as much as people might say 'ah yeah I don't mind' I generally think they are lying because absolutely nothing's more fun than winning games."

One lasting legacy from Bertacco is the way he had all senior teams train and coach together, regardless of the grade.

Abdala said because of that, there is a good sense of camaraderie among the senior club.

It also means he is already familiar with the players from this season's premiership side.

"I think all the players respect the person who has the role of head coach and they do what they can to try and bring out their vision for the team and for the club," he said.

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