Dolphins out to set new standard after Adams signing

THE Lorne Dolphins have taken the glowing recommendations from numerous figures within the Colac, Surf Coast and Geelong footballing communities in signing a new head coach to take their team to a promising 2022 season.

The Dolphins, the only Surf Coast side amongst the Colac and District Football League’s (CDFL) 10 teams, have announced former Colac Tiger Alex Adams as their new head coach for the 2022 season.

Adams recalled walking into the Lorne Football Club talking to the players feeling “like it was at the Colac Tigers, it felt familiar,” Adams said.

“With the last couple of years that we’ve had, it’s probably taken its toll on everyone a little bit with regards to footy and the community, but it’s a great opportunity to get that feeling back a little bit and just get everyone involved from the juniors to the seniors. I’m super pumped.”

Adams’ playing history almost exclusively took place at Colac between 2003 and 2014, before he made the move to the Bellarine Football League’s Tigers counterpart Torquay from 2015 to 2016.

In 2016, Adams was also introduced to his first official experience in senior coaching under the tutelage of Dom Gleeson as his assistant in Torquay. Adams then returned to Colac as assistant coach to Kane Leersen in 2018.

Adams took some time away from the game having three children under five years of age, but after former Geelong Falcons development figure Michael Turner got in touch asking if he would be interested in Lorne’s top coaching role, it was as simple as ‘yes’.

“One of my workmates who I see every Tuesday, former VFL Geelong player and former coach of South Barwon with Matthew Scarlett, Casey Tutungi, is one of the reasons I wanted to get involved, because he spoke so highly of the Lorne Football Club,” Adams said.

Other people involved in appointing Adams included former footballer and commentator Brian Taylor, football director Wayne Griffiths and a super excited listing and recruitment manager Jimmy Kambouris.

“During his interview with the football department, he came across as someone who was prepared to coach and expressed his desire to only coach one club, which was Lorne,” Kambouris said.

“It is a great opportunity for both the Lorne Footy Club and Alex and we think he is going to take us to a level that we haven’t seen before, especially when it comes to things like fitness and handling ourselves as a club going forward.

“Come Round One, if we aren’t the fittest team in the league, I’d be quite surprised.”

Lorne leads all CDFL clubs with 13 premierships and still holds the title of defending champions due to a cancelled 2020 season and a shortened 2021 season.