New Blue: Former Chirnside Park coach Brett Davidson will lead Waverley Blues in 2013. Picture: Wayne Hawkins
BRETT Davidson had long looked at Waverley Blues as the sort of club he wanted to coach.
Now he will get his chance after the Blues last week named him coach for the 2013 Eastern Football League division 2 season.
Davidson, who coached Chirnside Park for the past two seasons, had a "mutual parting" with the Panthers who, he said, had made it clear they wanted to take the side in a different direction.
Davidson said he was already in talks with Blues players and recruits about next season.
"I've been keen on the Waverley position for a number of years but circumstances never allowed us to meet," he said.
"I took my opportunity this time and rang up and asked about the position and found out they were looking for a coach.
"I was lucky enough to get through and win the position."
The Blues are coming off a difficult year when injury and other issues including overseas travel reduced their playing stocks during key parts of the season.
Davidson is expecting to field a much stronger Blues side next season.
"The thing people look at is the bottom line of wins and losses and that said the side didn't have a great year," he said.
"But there were seven to eight games which they lost by under 10 points. There was a loss to Rowville, the premiers, by a goal and a loss to Bayswater by a goal.
"So if you look at those results you know you have a competitive unit and there were also a few senior players overseas for the year and a couple who had serious injuries who missed much of the season.
"Those guys are over their injuries so we should start off with a very solid list and if you make a decent recruiting push we should be in that middle rank of teams."
Davidson will bring along his assistant coach Alan Love from Chirnside Park while he also confirmed he would be keeping some of the Blues assistant coaches.
While Love did play a few matches with the Panthers last season, Davidson said Love's position would be a non-playing one.
"I think this coming season will be tighter than ever in division 2," Davidson said.
"You will have Montrose and Mooroolbark who look to be really strong.
"Then you will have Bayswater, Donvale, Doncaster East, us, Mulgrave and even North Ringwood all in that next group."
Davidson said he looked forward to being involved in division 2 after several years in division 3.
In other EFL coaching appointments, Scoresby has promoted player development and under-19s coach Sean Kavanagh to the senior coach role, replacing Scott Whyte.
Noble Park has reappointed Mick Fogarty for 2013, with rover Tyson Mitchem winning the Bulls' best and fairest award.
Division 3 club Boronia has scored the services of Rowville premiership player Marc Hardy as senior coach with interim coach Drew O'Hare staying on with Boronia as director of coaching.