Dove to make his mark on seniors

By Brad Kingsbury
DOVETON has again turned to one of its own to lead the club in 2010 with the appointment of former player and dual under-18 premiership coach Mark Ladgrove as senior coach.
Ladgrove replaces Mark Mott who stepped in as the official coach this season, after original appointment Clint Wilson failed to gain accreditation by Football Victoria.
Wilson remained as an assistant and was the key influence over the side, leading the Doves to this year’s grand final.
However there has been significant unrest at the Robinson Reserve since the side’s horrible capitulation to Pakenham in that game and Ladgrove is well aware of the circumstances and the challenge he faces.
“There’s been some changes, but we’ll move forward now,” he said.
“I understand the politics of the club. Other clubs are always keen to recruit Doveton players and I suppose that’s a compliment to the club, but we’ll be trying to retain some of our classier players like every club would.
“But the reserves have won three grand finals in a row and it’s time that some of those players were given the chance to step up too.”
The 41-year-old former midfielder played with the Doves before having a taste of senior coaching at neighbouring Southern Football League club Doveton Eagles as a 23-year-old in 1991.
He had a four year stint playing with Coolangatta in Queensland before returning to the district and dividing his playing days between the Doves, Kooweerup (as assistant coach) and Hampton Park in the then MPNFL Premier League.
He ended his career with Doveton in 2003 and was then appointed as the club’s under-18s coach and had immediate success, leading the talented group to back-to-back premierships in 2004-05 and runners-up in 2006.
He said he had always wanted to coach the senior side, but the time was not right until now.
“I loved my three years with the thirds, but I stepped away for a little while. I was still around the club and I thought that now was the right time to step up and have a go at the senior job,” he said.
“It has always been one of my ambitions.”
Favourite son Ryan Hendy, whose services were keenly sought by a number of rivals, was appointed as assistant coach at the same time and while Ladgrove admitted that there was a lot of work ahead, he was genuinely excited by the future.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“I watched the seniors play finals on the big grounds at Berwick and Pakenham and they looked slow.
“We’re going to give the young blokes a go. You can’t be turning your back on 22 and 23-year-olds or they will drop off and find other clubs.”
Ladgrove said that further football appointments, including reserves coach, would follow in due course, but the club would not take the time required to make sure the decisions made were the right ones.