Border Mail | WANGARATTA Rovers are prepared to break a 45-year tradition to find the right successor for coach Paul Maher.
The last “outsider” appointed at W.J. Findlay Oval was Ian Brewer in 1969, and club president Andrew Smith said yesterday the Hawks wouldn’t hesitate going down that path again if they found the right applicant.
“We are after the right person for the job so we will go through the process and look at all applicants,” Smith said.
“It all comes back to getting the best fit.
“If that’s internal so be it, if it’s external then that’s even better.
“We are just after the right person.”
Laurie Burt was recruited from Coburg but played with Wangaratta Rovers for three seasons before taking over as coach in 1987.
Maher announced he would be stepping down from the helm at the end of the season following last weekend’s 14-point loss to Corowa-Rutherglen.
Although the Hawks are at the bottom of the ladder, Smith is confident of a quick turnaround in fortunes.
“We have just fallen short in a handful of games this season, which can make a lot of difference,” Smith said.
“The ladder position doesn’t probably reflect where our playing group is at, but unfortunately that’s where it is.
“Another year the guys are a year older and developed and, who knows, if you can top up with a player here and there, things can turn around really quickly.
“There have been no easy games this year.”
Smith said the Hawks wouldn’t be putting a time frame on finding a replacement for Maher.
“Once you start doing that you can put yourself into a corner,” he said.
Maher has coached Wangaratta Rovers for the past two seasons after an intensive background with the club’s thirds and reserves and is optimistic about winning several matches in the run home.
They are due to play Myrtleford, Wangaratta, North Albury, Wodonga Raiders, Lavington and Albury.
