BEECHWORTH have landed a major coup in highly regarded TDFL leader Jack Neil as senior coach for next season. Neil will replace Tom Cartledge as coach, who will be remaining in the side as a player only next year after leading the senior side to three straight finals campaigns. Outgoing president Adam Fendyk said former coach Brayden Carey had reached out to Neil as he assisted with the search for a new senior coach. “We’ve seen him as an opposition coach along the way so we knew his credentials somewhat, but he turns out to be a ripping fellow and a great fit for what we’re doing,” he said. Neil boasts an impressive coaching resume at three other clubs following more than 200 games with Dederang-Mount Beauty as a player. He coached Upper Murray side Federals to a premiership in 2016, oversaw a competitive Bombers outfit throughout 2018-19 and took Kiewa Sandy Creek to two straight grand finals in 2022 and 2023. Fendyk said bringing in someone with the coaching experience of Neil from outside of the club would spark fresh ideas and exciting new ways to go about their football. “He’s got some serious coaching prowess and importantly some real experience at other clubs through coaching and playing,” he said. “We’re a whole lot more insular for the most part, I’ve been around Beechworth, Tom’s been around Beechworth most of his life, Brayden’s similar; so to have someone who has been at some of the pinnacle clubs in the competition and find out what they do and how they do it is pretty interesting. “There’s nothing like experience to make things better for you.” Fendyk said he expected Neil would provide a major boost to the whole football club program. “We’ll be encouraging the other coaches to work with him and vice versa so that we’re able to at least have players in seniors, reserves and thirds moving into senior football ready,” he said. “We want to develop players moving into other grades as well.” The club held their AGM on Thursday night, with Fendyk, who has served as club president for eight years in two separate stints since 2010, announcing he would be stepping down from the role. “Like Tom has said, I think it’s time for another voice for people to hear, I’m starting to get sick of my voice myself,” he said.
