Castlemaine Football Netball Club has announced former AFL player Michael Hartley will be joining the club as senior coach for season 2024.
Hartley grew up in New South Wales before being selected by the Collingwood Football Club.
He spent two years with Collingwood and showed great resilience to overcome some serious injuries.
Determined to get back on an AFL list he then went to Coburg for a further two seasons, which included selection into the VFL team of the Year.
Hartley was selected 68th pick in the 2015 National Draft by the Essendon Football Club playing 44 AFL games, with his ability to defend strongly and intercept a feature as well as a booming right foot.
In 2019 he crossed to Hawthorn and played a further five AFL matches. All up he spent eight years in the AFL system.
In 2022 Hartley played VFL with Collingwood Football Club and also developed his coaching by spending time with the AFLW program as a development coach.
Hartley is currently playing the GVFNL with Seymour where he is acting as a playing co-coach.
“Upon meeting with the Castlemaine football club, I was really impressed with the progress that the club had made and the club’s vision / strategy going forward,” he said.
I hope my experiences at the elite level can help accelerate the development of our playing list on and off the field.”
Hartley’s role at the club will extend beyond the senior men; with commitment to the Magpies women’s and junior programs ensuring a pipeline of talent will be coming through over the next few years.
CFNC president Caleb Kuhle said Hartley’s signing was a huge endorsement of faith in their broader football program and the vision they had.
“We look forward to announcing some resignings in the coming weeks as well as some talented additions who will undoubtedly help our young list on field,” he said.
“We would like to officially welcome Michael, his lovely partner Tegan and their three kids Adeline, Fred and Tommy to the Castlemaine Football Netball Club.”
