When Shepparton Golf announced that Melbourne Premier League-calibre bowler Brett Foley was returning to the club for season 2021-22, dread quickly spread across the remainder of the Goulburn Valley Playing Area with news the reigning six-time champion just got even stronger.
Joining a team littered with star talent, Foley has fitted seamlessly into the Golf juggernaut, taking the reins as a skip and imparting his wisdom and experience on the group as it strives to continue its incredible dynasty.
Fast-forward to the eve of the grand final and Foley now has the chance to add a Shepparton Golf premiership to his long list of career accolades, as he prepares to take over as head coach from the legendary Brad Orr next season.
Foley said he had loved the move back to his home club and to have once again been part of the Shepparton Golf community.
“It is a little different and a bit of a standard drop (from Melbourne Premier), but the club has been great and welcomed me and my family back to Shepparton,” Foley said.
“Everyone has been welcoming and made the transition really easy, I have really enjoyed the year so far and hopefully we can cap it off with a win on Sunday.”
One of the most enticing factors of a move back to Golf was the opportunity to play with his father, John, again, who has been a mainstay in the Allan Matheson Shield side for many years.
Having spent his formative years playing with his old man, this weekend offers a rare and special opportunity for Foley, as the pair strives for its first premiership as a duo.
“I played with him a lot when I was younger, but we have never won a flag together, so it will be great for the family if we can get one,” he said.
“Coming back to the Golf family with Dad around and a lot of mates has just been great, it is certainly a family club that loves to play together and win, so along with winning one with Dad I would love to share the moment with everyone at the club.”
On the green, Foley’s focus has been trying to improve the team wherever he can and be a sounding board for Orr as the club strives for a seventh straight flag.
“Walking into a team that has won multiple flags, it has been pretty easy to fit in, they have asked me to help on areas where I think we can improve, but there isn’t really much,” he said.
“I have just been trying to teach the younger guys in the side a few things and just help Orry out, it has been a bit of a stop-start year for me being out with COVID-19 and things, but the side is going great, and the team is in a great spot heading into Sunday.”
After settling into the side this season, Foley is set to take on more responsibility as coach next year. And while he’s excited to take the reins, he’s hell-bent on ending Orr’s tenure with a victory.
“We have made a point to make sure we reward him with a win on Sunday, he’s been great for the club and is a good mate of mine, he’s a winner and a big game player, so we are hoping to send him out as coach with a big win,” he said.
“Moving on from that it’ll be up to me to take over which are some big shoes to fill, I’ll bring my own little ways into the team, but they are such a well-drilled unit I won’t need to do much.”