The 2024 Echuca Moama Sportstar Coach of the Year Ash Watson. Photo: Bruce Povey.
In a competitive field, Rochester senior football coach Ash Watson was named the 2024 Echuca Moama Sportstar Coach of the Year.
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Watson’s expertise guided Rochester from a 4-14 record in his first season in charge, to a 13-5 2024 record, and a third-placed finish in the Goulburn Valley League.
Included in the season were memorable close wins over the likes of Euroa and Seymour, and a round five victory over eventual champion Echuca, the only defeat the Murray Bombers tasted all season.
Watson employed targeted recruitment to improve his squad, bringing in quality over quantity in the form of, among others, runner-up Morrison medallist Mitch Trewhella and Ryan O’Keefe from Kangaroo Flat, and Bailey Boyack from Echuca United.
Coach of the Year nominees Jason Dennis (Echuca United girls), Damien Dalziel (Echuca women’s), Paige Pinson (Border Raiders women’s) Simon Maddox (Echuca FNC seniors) and Amelia Richardson. Absent; Ash Watson (Rochester FNC seniors), Belinda Lees (Echuca FNC A-grade), and Andrew Walker (Echuca FNC seniors). Photo: Jordan Townrow.
His side is looking to employ a similar tact this year, making minimal changes to what became a hugely successful 2024 squad.
Watson’s efforts in 2024 earned him the distinction of Senior Coach of the Year at the AFL Victoria Community Awards in October.
His Rochester side will kick off their 2025 campaign welcoming Seymour to Moon Oval on April 5.
Watson took the award ahead of Simon Maddox and Andrew Walker (Echuca FNC seniors), Jason Dennis (Echuca United girls), Amelia Richardson and Paige Pinson (Border Raiders women’s), Belinda Lees (Echuca FNC A-grade), and Damien Dalziel (Echuca FNC senior women’s).
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