Bill West
Gisborne resident Tim Bannan is really looking forward to being the new senior football coach at Lancefield next season.
His appointment was confirmed last week, and the 43-year-old comes to Tigerland having had a long involvement at a playing and coaching level in both football and cricket.
Last year Bannan coached a youthful Leitchville-Gunbower side in the Heathcote League, opening with a first round win before going through the trauma of having a large number of players sidelined with serious injuries in the first four rounds.
Leitchville was where Bannan grew up on a farm, and he enjoyed the experience of going back to help his old club out.
“He came out of the selection process as the perfect candidate to take the young group forward,” Leitchville-Gunbower stated when appointing him in late 2021; Lancefield had a selection panel of six and reached a similar conclusion.
Bannan has been closely involved with both the Riddell and Gisborne clubs in recent years, and the Gisborne Rookies where his wife Jodie is president and head trainer. At Riddell, he was U19.5 coach when the Covid pandemic played havoc.
He has also played a welcome role with cricket in Gisborne, and enjoys relating to the “old timers” who were/are involved in sports in the town.
Bannan is a qualified plumber but now largely spends his time as a truck driver; he welcomes the opportunity of being able to coach a club closer to Gisborne next season.
The Bannans’ four children, ranging in age from 22 down to 13, are all keenly involved in sport, with the oldest (Jaybean) playing football in Queensland; 13-year-old Kyan has already made a favourable impact in football and cricket at Gisborne.
One on one
Bannan said he is a very much ‘one on one’ type of coach, and welcomes the opportunity to bring out the potential in a large number of Lancefield’s teenagers next season.
The coach sees the Tigers having an Under 19.5 side next season as a real plus, with the incentive of players making a transition to senior ranks.
Bannan admires the football contribution made by dual Bowen Medalist Tom Waters both at Gisborne, Macedon and Lancefield.
Ruckman Waters decided to step down after being playing coach at Tigerland for three seasons, but importantly, will continue as a player with the club.
Bannan anticipates the Tigers will have a nucleus of experienced players in the seniors in 2023 to help take the heat off the promising younger brigade.
Tigers’ president Mark Morgan welcomed Bannan to the ranks, and wished him well as senior coach, as did football manager Mike Tindley.
