Morcom into coach mode after signing off at Square with flag

The Hawks got on the front foot when they announced in July they had appointed Morcom as their coach for 2024.

At that stage Morcom's primary focus was firmly on Golden Square and its premiership drive - an ambition that duly came to fruition when the Bulldogs defeated Sandhurst by six points in a cracking Bendigo league grand final.

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Now Morcom is entrenched in his new role as Huntly coach, departing the Bendigo league's reigning premiers for the rebuilding Hawks who are coming off the Heathcote District league's wooden spoon.

"At the moment it's all about trying to get a few more numbers out there because that was something that was lacking a bit this year," Morcom said this week.

"Most of the squad that was already there this year has re-committed and like all clubs we're obviously talking to a few as well."

One recruit Morcom has been able to lure to Strauch Reserve at this stage is experienced midfielder Dale Lowry, also from Golden Square.

Lowry and Morcom played in Golden Square's 2012 and 2013 premierships together.

Lowry has spent the bulk of the past two seasons in the reserves at Golden Square, but Morcom is confident he will have an impact again at senior level with the Hawks.

"Dale is coming across as well; he's a great player when he's at his best, he just needs a bit of continuity," Morcom said.

"He has been a bit unlucky the past 18 months in terms of a few injuries, but if he can get himself fit and healthy he's going to add a lot to the side.

"We identified we probably needed another inside mid and he fits that bill really well for us. He's a player who brings a lot of senior experience with him and is gong to help guide a young group. We think he will be a really important acquisition for us."

Morcom has taken over as Huntly coach from Jayden Cordy and Harry Whittle, who were joint-coaches this year.

Cordy has departed the Hawks to join the Cohuna Kangas in the Central Murray league, while Whittle has re-signed with the club.

"It's great to have Harry re-commit because he has been a really important player at the club and it would have been tricky to lose him because his leadership is going to be really important with such a young group coming through," Morcom said.

Predominantly a forward during his time at Golden Square with a reputation for the ability to take a spectacular flying mark, don't be surprised to see Morcom spend time down the other end of the ground in defence with the Hawks.

"I played all my junior football in the backline and that's where my intention is to probably play early if we're struggling to find our feet a bit and just to have that bit of extra coverage down there," Morcom said.

"But if we can recruit well in that area, and we're talking to a few at the moment who could fill some spots in the back half, then I may not be as required down there."

Morcom has joined the Hawks following more than a decade at Golden Square having joined the Bulldogs in 2012.

He's a three-time premiership player with the Bulldogs having played in the 2012-13 flags in his first two years at the club and last month's grand final triumph over Sandhurst in what was his swansong game.

"It was really special to win the flag this year. Having won two in my first two years with Square when I was 19 and 20, you can definitely take it for granted," Morcom said.

"You can be really close and around the mark, but you need a lot of things to go your way at the pointy end of the season, so it was really satisfying to win it and we celebrated accordingly."

Meanwhile, former Castlemaine player Harmit Singh is joining the Magpies as their senior development coach.

Singh has an extensive coaching background, which includes coaching Morwell to back-to-back senior flags in the Gippsland league in 2013-14, while he is also a dual Eastern league premiership coach at Vermont in 2018 and 2019.

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He has also been involved in the AFL system with both Collingwood, where he has been the head of the Peter Daicos Academy and VFL assistant coach, and Essendon.

Singh filling a senior development coach role with Castlemaine follows another signing announcement by the Magpies in Zac Greeves, who played a VFL game for Collingwood this year and has also come through the Eastern Ranges program.

And Cameron Tomlins is taking on the role as interim AFL Central Victoria regional general manager.

Tomlins is filling the interim role after Craig Armstead finished in the position last Wednesday.

Tomlins has been running the Bendigo Football Netball League as its general manager since May of 2018.

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