Steve Johnson with Yarrawonga legend Tom Lonergan celebrate after their win against Collingwood in the AFL Grand Final at the MCG in Melbourne in 2011. Image AAP.
Appointing Geelong AFL star Steve Johnson as coach of Yarrawonga was only a dream when the coaching selection process began mid-year.
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But the wish came true last Friday with Johnson committing to the club for the next two seasons.
Led by the Pigeons’ football manager Leigh Ramsdale, the initial coaching process explored contacts through town favourite and Geelong star Tom Lonergan, and various other league football affiliations of the Pigeons.
“Steve’s super excited about the appointment,” Pigeons’ football director Leigh Ramsdale told the Yarrawonga Chronicle. “It’s excellent for the club, the community, and our sponsors.
“He’s been keen from day one, about country footy, Yarrawonga, and the Ovens and Murray. He sees it as an opportunity to coach a team in his own right.”
The Yarrawonga Pigeons has appointed the 39-year-old former dynamic forward as senior coach for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Johnson played with the Wangaratta Magpies as a junior and was selected from the Murray Bushrangers with pick 24 in the 2001 national draft. He then went on to play 253 games with Geelong and a further 40 with GWS for a total of 293 games and 516 goals, then was an assistant coach to John Longmire at Sydney Swans and then GWS for the 2022 season.
Steve Johnson (left), as assistant coach to Sydney Swans coach John Longmire (right). Image AAP.
“Steve’s really looking forward to getting back to coach Yarrawonga – he’s currently on holiday in New Zealand with his family. He was right across Yarrawonga in the finals and is determined to take the club that bit further next year. He spent a lot of time in Yarrawonga as a kid, when growing up in Wangaratta,” Ramsdale said.
Johnson also loves his golf and water skiing – what better place is there than Yarrawonga Mulwala to tee up for those sports?
During the 2022 season senior coach Mark Whiley (2019 – 2022) indicated his desire for the Pigeons to source an experienced off-field coach.
High praise in respect of the outgoing playing coach was given by Ramsdale.
“That was good of Mark to let us know, to have time to start the replacement process while still coaching, being involved in the process and playing brilliant football,” Ramsdale said.
Whiley was appointed to the role in 2019 after the Pigeons missed the finals for the first time since 2005. His rebuild of the playing list through the addition of some players, but primarily through the development of the club’s younger players has been first class.
Yarrawonga Football Netball Club President Ross Mulquiney expressed his excitement about Johnson’s appointment.
“Our club is equally excited about the addition of Steve’s family to our junior programs. That, combined with his love for the area means Yarrawonga was the perfect destination to raise a family, surrounded by family,” the president said.
“Steve and his family will relocate to the area soon with his children to attend school locally.
“The coaching outcome is a testament to commitment and drive of Leigh and coach Mark, to improve not only the playing group, but the club as a whole.”
A player and coach of Johnson’s background brings back memories of some wonderful coaches of the Pigeons yesteryear with the likes of VFL greats Billy Stephens and Ken Fraser.
“My dad played under Ken Fraser,” Leigh quipped about his dad Jeff.
“With the pick-up of Stevie J as coach it definitely brings back memories of the late and great Billy Stephens, captain-coach of Fitzroy and Ken Fraser, captain of Essendon, and local content of Neil Davis, Bobby Craig from Wodonga, Drew Barnes and Chris Kennedy,” former long-time multi-club premiership president Glenn Brear said.
“The club is very well poised to dominate in the O and M if the players can be committed to what’s required by Stevie Johnson. It’s an opportunity for the Pigeons to repeat some recent success and put themselves up there to be a strong club for years to come.”
Brear said Stephens introduced a level of professionalism to Yarrawonga which, upon commitment to by the players, led to the Pigeons winning the 1959 grand-final, its first of five to date in the O and M league. “That success can happen again,” Brear said. The Pigeons’ last flag was 2013.
Ross Mulquiney said the Pigeons are excited for what 2023 will bring and hopeful that; “whilst 2022 was a year filled with improvement all over the park and off it, we hope 2023 proves to be equally fulfilling and that the entire Yarrawonga community continues to get behind their Pigeons as they commence their assault on the 2023 Ovens & Murray season.
“We wish Steve all the best and the Pigeons look forward to watching Mark Whiley’s number four for many years to come,” the president concluded.
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