By Terry Wilson
Former 166-game AFL player Brent Moloney has identified the areas of fitness and bringing in a new culture as keys to get Wilston Grange up and firing in the QAFL.
Moloney, 35, has taken over the role of head coach at Hickey Park for next season after the club parted ways with Barry O’Brien at the end of the last season, one that produced only three wins.
Unlike some of his predecessors, Moloney knows what needs to be done at the Grange, where success at seniors level has been as scarce as hens’ teeth.
At least Moloney is familiar with the set-up there because he took the Grange colts to the premiership in September when they upset Palm Beach Currumbin at Metricon Stadium.
Now it is time for him to lift the seniors and try to break a premiership drought that stretches back to 1972.
Moloney understands that resources at the Grange are not as healthy as at other power clubs but he is determined to get the club back to being competitive.
“Really, for me it’s about improving the training standards as a senior group and bringing in a new culture, the same culture we set at colts level this year,” said the former Geelong, Melbourne and Brisbane midfielder.
“I just want to continue that success (with the colts) on.
“We haven’t won a seniors flag since 1972 and that’s the main reason I took on the job.
“I know we have to start at the bottom and work our way up – we need to be successful, we need to become successful, and pretty quickly.”
The new Grange boss played 23 games for Geelong, 122 for Melbourne and 21 for Brisbane before retiring and locating himself at Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
He was Noosa junior development officer and a seniors assistant for two years (2015-16) before taking two seasons off prior to landing the Grange colts coaching role.
While the Gorillas have finalised their 2020 coaching role, rivals Western Magpies and Sandgate are still sifting through candidates to replace Brydan Morgan and Jarad Marsh respectively.
