Moama mentor Sam Sheldon will be at the helm once again next year after signing on as coach for the 2023 season.
Sheldon is in the middle of his second year with the Magpies and his first as senior coach.
It has been a successful first year in the top job for Sheldon, who has a playing-coach role, with Moama set to reach the finals for the first time since 2017.
The Pies have 11 wins on the board already this season with two rounds still to play, more victories than they had in 2019 and 2021 combined.
Sheldon said he was pleased with how the season had gone so far.
“It is all going pretty well. It has been a challenge, but it has been good, though,” he said.
“The club has been unreal. Matt Lake the president and Sam Eddy have been fantastic with their support.
“Everyone is enjoying it and hopefully we can keep going in the right direction and win some more footy games.”
Sheldon brings AFL experience to the role, having played 43 games for the Brisbane Lions between 2009 and 2012. He played at Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley League before joining the Magpies in 2021.
With plenty of playing experience under his belt, Sheldon said he did not given much thought to coaching initially.
“I never really wanted to be a coach, it just happened naturally,“ he said.
“I came and played at Moama and it just happened that they needed a coach. I thought I could help out with my knowledge that I can pass on to the boys.”
Football and coaching runs in the Sheldon family. Sam’s father, Ken, won three premierships with Carlton during his 185-game career, later coaching St Kilda for four seasons.
Ken is coaching alongside Sam as a senior assistant and he is also the football director at Moama.
The younger Sheldon said coaching with his dad was one the things he enjoyed most about his role.
“My old man is helping me out with it and it is good fun having him around,” he said.
“He loves it and I have learnt a lot off him, but it is just good spending time together.”
The Magpies are heading in the right direction, climbing up the ladder each season after finishing last in 2019 with two wins and 16 defeats.
Sheldon said he was hoping the club could keep up its progress moving forward.
“Obviously the ultimate goal is winning a flag. We are working towards that,” he said.
“Probably the most enjoyable thing this year is seeing the young blokes get a grip of it as their team and take control of what way we are going. They are all buying in.
“The goal is to keep that trajectory going up and keep winning and create an environment that everyone wants to be in and have a good time.”