AFL 300-gamer Drew Petrie is heading back to where his football journey started, appointed coach of the BFNL’s 23-and-under interleague team.<\/p>\n
A proud Ballarat product, Petrie \u2013 who played 332 senior games for North Melbourne (316) and West Coast (16) \u2013 will lead Ballarat into battle against the Hampden Football Netball League on Saturday 23 May.<\/p>\n
The clash will be a HFNL home game at Reid Oval in Warrnambool.<\/p>\n
Hampden will be coached by North Warrnambool premiership coach and AFL premiership player Nathan Vardy.<\/p>\n
Petrie, a five-time Kangaroos leading goalkicker and All-Australian in 2011. said he was excited by the opportunity to lead the BFNL’s emerging representative side.<\/p>\n
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to coach the BFNL under-23 interleague team this year,” he said.<\/p>\n
“When Paul Armstrong called to offer me the role, I didn’t hesitate.<\/p>\n
“It’s a privilege to represent the players and the league, and I’m committed to giving everything I can to the role.<\/p>\n
“After nine years in Perth, I’m also excited to be back in Victoria and reconnecting with the local football community that gave me so much as a kid, especially the Ballarat Swans.”<\/p>\n
Selected by North Melbourne with pick 23 in the 2000 national draft, Petrie enjoyed a decorated 16-year career with the Kangaroos.<\/p>\n
He joined the Eagles via the 2017 rookie draft for one season before playing the final game of his career in the 2017 semi-final.<\/p>\n
Despite spending the past nine years living and working in Perth within the AFL system, Petrie recently returned to Victoria, where he was eager to reconnect with the Ballarat football community that helped shape his early career.<\/p>\n
BFNL director of operations Paul Armstrong said Petrie’s appointment was a major boost for the league’s representative program.<\/p>\n
“Having Drew on board is fantastic for the BFNL and a big boost to our Interleague program,” he said.<\/p>\n
“His experience at the highest level of the game, combined with his strong connection to Ballarat football, makes him an outstanding person to guide this group of players.”<\/p>\n
BFNL operations and football manager Tayla Banham highlighted the importance of having someone of Petrie’s experience involved with the league’s developing talent.<\/p>\n
“Being able to have someone of Drew’s calibre involved in our program is incredibly valuable for the BFNL, and his connection to the region only strengthens that,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The under-23 interleague concept is something both the BFNL and the Hampden Football Netball League see as a really important pathway for young footballers who may not have come through the Talent League system or whose pathway finished there.<\/p>\n
“Opportunities to represent your region alongside players you normally compete against are rare once junior football finishes.<\/p>\n
“It’s something special, and we’re grateful for the strong buy-in we continue to see from our clubs and players to make this program possible.”<\/p>\n
Banham said planning for the upcoming under-23 interleague campaign was already underway, with the BFNL looking forward to bringing together the league’s most promising young footballers to represent the region on the representative stage.<\/p>\n
The BFNL on last year’s clash against Hampden by 31 points, with Bacchus Marsh’s Josh Huxtable named best on ground.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AFL 300-gamer Drew Petrie is heading back to where his football journey started, appointed coach of the BFNL’s 23-and-under interleague team. A proud Ballarat product, Petrie \u2013 who played 332 senior games for North Melbourne (316) and West Coast (16) \u2013 will lead Ballarat into battle against the Hampden Football Netball League on Saturday 23 […]<\/p>\n