Merrigum has welcomed one of its favourite sons into the fold to lead its charge.
Former Bulldogs captain and vice-president Leigh Hall has returned to the Kennel to take the reins alongside Darcy Collins, taking over from Jaydon Stiles.
Hall’s rap sheet reads long.
During his playing career, spanning 450-plus games, he was an interleague representative and premiership player, while he has also found success coaching in the youth ranks.
As for Collins, he debuts as a coach after serving in Merrigum’s backline for the past two years, coming across from Shepparton Swans.
The news of Hall and Collins’ appointment has shot a bolt of excitement through the Bulldogs’ rank and file, and the former cannot wait to rejoin his old faction.
“I started my football there and there’s always been a bit of a soft spot there,” Hall said.
“I suppose in the back of my mind there was always going to be some time when the time was right to go back.
“I had a discussion with some friends who were still associated with the club about coming back, one thing led to another and this is where we’re at at the moment.”
Hall admitted there hadn’t been much dialogue between himself and Collins before they teamed up.
However, the pair agreed on a joint partnership and has set steady ambitions on sliding Merrigum up the ladder following a 10th-placed finish in the 2023 Kyabram District League season.
“I don’t think we’re going to get carried away with anything,” Hall said.
“The club has probably been under a little bit of strife so to speak, we need to find our feet again and see where the year ends up.
“From an overall perspective, if we can stabilise the club and make it a club that people want to come back and play at, retain the players we’ve got and pick up a few recruits, I think we can start getting a few wins on the board.
“Where that leaves us at the end of the year, who knows, but I’d like to think we’d be knocking on the door of finals hopefully.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then.”
While Collins has been entwined in Merrigum’s culture for a couple of years, Hall has traded one Kennel for another.
The wise head spent the past few seasons coaching Tatura’s reserves side and picked up a thing or two under ex-AFL star Paul Barnard, who coached the Bulldogs’ senior side in the most recent campaign.
“After this year with Paul Barnard being involved at Tat, I’ve probably learned a fair bit more about a different way to approach things,” Hall said.
“Paul’s about the same age as I am, so we probably think along the same lines to a degree, and other things he’s been a lot more advanced with his coaching. I’ve learned a few things along the way
“It’d be nice to take control of the senior group ― the 2 o’clock group instead of the 12 o’clock group ― and put some of those things I’ve learned there plus other bits and pieces along the way.
“Darcy will have his ideas as well, so between the two of us we should be able to cover most of our bases and hopefully get some success out of the year.”