As Seymour has its sights firmly on the 2023 Goulburn Valley League, GVL, finals starting this weekend, the Lions have announced they have re-signed their senior football and A Grade coaches for next season.
Ben Davey and Ellie Fuhrmeister have both recommitted for another season.
All of Seymour’s senior football and netball sides have secured a finals berth this season, with their senior footballers and B-Reserve netballers to both play Echuca in qualifying finals at Benalla on Saturday.
The Lions’ Reserves play Kyabram in a qualifying final at Rochester on Sunday, along with the club’s A Grade versus Tatura and B Grade against Shepparton Swans – both elimination finals.
Seymour seniors go into the finals coming off an unexpected loss to seventh-placed Shepparton on Saturday.
The Lions went down by 10 points at Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve, with consistent performers Jack O’Sullivan, Riley Mason, Ben Cooney, Dylan Scopel and Ben Rigoni among the best.
But Davey, dual senior premiership player in 1991 and 2005 in addition to coaching a Reserves premiership in 2006, said the club was in a strong position heading into finals, finishing second on the ladder behind Echuca.
“We’ve got a really strong young group of footballers who enjoy each other’s company. It makes the club a great place to be,” he said.
“Importantly our depth and numbers across the Reserves means we’ve got plenty of blokes around the club who can step up to senior footy at any time.”
Fuhrmeister is a three-time A Grade premiership player and GVL representative with experience coaching every senior and junior grade at the club, all while having played more than 200 games at the Lions.
Fuhrmeister said she was looking forward to a big September campaign and the ongoing development of the club’s netballers.
“We’ve got a huge finals series coming up for the netballers with plenty of stiff competition across the league,” she said.
“We’re coming into the next few months extremely motivated and there’s no room to get complacent. We’ve got a great group and I’m excited about what we can achieve together.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to support our junior sides, watch their development and support them as they become senior netballers.”
Seymour president Gerard O’Sullivan said the club was thrilled to have both coaches recommit for the 2024 season.
“Ben and Ellie have played a massive role in our recent success and we’re delighted they’re back on board for 2024,” he said.
“Our netball program has been incredibly well run and coached, evidenced by the remarkable three premierships we took home from Deakin [Reserve] last year.
“Ben has put together a really special group of footballers and we look forward to them having a red-hot crack in September.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Ben and Ellie back next year while being incredibly excited about what’s to come across the finals series.”