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READ MORE - BFNL DECADE THAT WAS - the 2019 season
AFTER a two-year spell Darryl Wilson is returning to the helm of Strathfieldsaye as co-coach with Shannon Geary.
The Storm unveiled their new coaching panel for 2020 on Friday, with Wilson and Geary taking over from Troy Coates, who led Strathfieldsaye to the BFNL premiership last month with a 14-point grand final victory over Eaglehawk.
While this is Geary's first foray into senior coaching, Wilson has a decorated CV behind him that includes leading the Storm to the 2014, 2015 and 2017 premierships.
Wilson previously coached the Storm from 2011 to 2017, with the three premiership victories part of a 107-32-1 record from 140 games.
"Having had the two years off was a good break and allowed me to go and do some other things with the inter-league coaching this year, as well as some work with the AFL Young Guns program, which has given me a bit more zest to have a crack again," Wilson said.
"Shannon and I had a discussion about coaching and it was something he was really keen to do.
"I probably didn't want to do the job on my own because it's such a big role these days, so being able to share the role with Shannon suits me better and the club was willing to do that."
Senior coaching is the next evolution of leadership for Geary given he is a triple premiership captain of the Storm and this year coached the club's reserves to an undefeated season, culminating in a grand final win over South Bendigo.
"Senior coaching is something that I've wanted to do for a while, but I probably haven't felt ready and coaching the reserves this year was a really good learning curve," Geary said.
"As a player I don't think I've got too long left given I'm getting on a bit, so that next step after retiring will probably be a non-playing coach, so this will be a really good experience.
"I'm very much a novice, but Darryl has been a mentor of mine and being able to coach alongside him, I'm going to learn a lot."
I'm very much a novice, but Darryl has been a mentor of mine and being able to coach alongside him, I'm going to learn a lot
- Shannon Geary
As well as joint coaches in the seniors, the Storm will also have co-coaches in the reserves with star senior goalkicker Lachlan Sharp and James Blood taking over from Geary.
Blood taking on the coaching duties comes after he captained the Storm's reserves flag this year.
"We're pleased that Sharpy has put his hand up to dip his toe in the water and have a go at coaching and I'm sure he and James will do a great job with our reserves," Strathfieldsaye president Glen Cowling said.
And Bart Leahy is continuing as coach of the Storm's under-18s for a ninth season.
The appointments of Wilson and Geary complete another piece of the BFNL coaching jigsaw, with now only Kangaroo Flat and Maryborough yet to announce who they will be led by in 2020.
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