Reappointed club president Melyssa Banks said Gilday would be a “new face with a bit of experience” as Mathoura continued their rebuild.
“He turned up to the community meeting, and obviously we were saying we needed to find a coach,” Banks said.
“We had a few potentials we were talking to, and he put his hand up to put his name in the ring.
“Brodie Unwin and Blake Keach went and had a meeting with him on Thursday, had a discussion and we appointed him Thursday night.
“We just thought he’s a new face with a bit of experience.”
Banks is hopeful Gilday’s appointment will start to attract players back to the club following an exodus of the senior playing list, pointing to his experience as an ex-VFL player and coach.
“It was an announcement that needed to come sooner rather than later,” she said.
“Hopefully we can entice a few players with the fact that he does have that VFL experience; he’s played the game, he’s coached VFL sides, so he knows his stuff.
“It’s pretty exciting.”
Gilday, 61, comes in as replacement for Darcy Robinson, who stepped away from the role in October.
For the Timbercutters, it’s another positive step out of a difficult situation.
At risk of not competing in 2022 after a positive 2021 season, Mathoura were forced to hold multiple crisis meetings over the past several weeks in efforts of filling the executive and general committees.
The club was then rocked by the departure of club president Andrew Pridham.
A call to arms issued by the club saw nearly all roles filled, and now with a senior coach appointed, the prospects for footballers down at Mathoura will be much brighter when pre-season gets underway in earnest on Thursday, January 27 at the club’s Morris St ground.
~ Josh Huntly
