EFNL 2023: Jason Heffernan Appointed Wantirna South Coach

The Devils have decided to move forward with the hiring of a former club standout to serve as their next senior coach. This individual has stated that the team's progress has "got to come pretty quick" as they prepare to move up the Division 1 standings in the upcoming season.

Next year, a returning fan favorite will be at the helm of Wantirna South as the team attempts to climb the ladder in the Eastern League Division 1 competition.

In 2024, Jason Heffernan will take over as head coach of the club. He just stepped down from his position as head coach of the Southern League team, St. Paul's McKinnon, where he had served for seven seasons.

Heffernan was a two-time winner of the Wantirna South Best and Fairest award. During his six years as a player with the club, which spanned from 1998 to 2003, he led the club to its 2002 premiership and earned a berth in the club's squad of the half-century (1952–2001).

After stints as the development coach at VFL clubs Casey and Port Melbourne, as well as an assistant role with the Northern Knights, he led St. Paul's McKinnon to the Division 1 championship in 2018.

Heffernan, who takes over for Brett Moyle as head coach, has expressed excitement about the position due to his confidence in Wantirna South's leadership.

"I did speak to them last year when they were looking (for a coach)," Heffernan recalled.

The president was one of my first coaches at Wantirna South, and the footy ops, reserves, and under-19s coaches are all people I knew when I played for the club.

Leaving St. Paul's after that first year after COVID and getting things nice and solid didn't feel like the proper thing to do; when I talked to them last year, it was very close.

I didn't know what was going to happen in football when I pulled the pin with six or seven games to go, but then everything started to fall into place.

I trusted them because of your familiarity with the club's leadership and your history with Wannirna South.

At the halfway point of the season, Wantirna South had six victories and three losses and looked poised for a second consecutive finals appearance before a run of six consecutive losses wrecked its campaign.

It has only won two of its last nine games, and many key players have been lost to international duty.

The team's first-year head coach, Moyle, resigned with one home and one away game left to play after finishing eighth with an 8-10 record.

Heffernan anticipates steady attendance levels for the upcoming season.

"I have no idea if something like this has ever happened at Wantirna South before... It's particularly inconvenient when four or five people leave for foreign duty at once, he said.

We respect the young men, and we know this is a significant milestone in their lives, but When a few players from a team leave for the season or get injured, the rest of the team struggles. If seven players were suddenly taken out of Vermont or Rowville, the teams might also be in trouble.

You should expect to have the same 45–48 regulars every week because "it probably won't happen again next year."

Heffernan said his new squad needs to get better if they want to compete with the likes of Mitcham and South Belgrave, the two teams relegated from the Premier Division, and the resurgent Doncaster and Park Orchards.

The Devils fell short of the playoffs by a combined two points and percentage points this season.

Heffernan warned that the competition would be fierce unless the team improved rapidly.

They are confident in their foundation since they have talented young players, and their reserve team recently won the championship.

You'll want to add two or three players because, at every level, you'll lose two or three and develop internally.

In other words, "I don't think there'll be a massive turnover."