News Article on Coaching Appointments
and Award Winners

By Walter Pless

Matthew Rhodes, a former leading goalkeeper, has been appointed as senior coach of Taroona, who have won promotion to next season’s Premier League competition.

Taroona have also recruited midfielder Marcus Atkinson, the captain of the State under-19s, from South Hobart.

University, meanwhile, have put the appointment of Ric Peterson as their senior coach on hold because of Football Federation Tasmania’s insistence that all senior coaches have at least minimum coaching qualifications.

Steve Adkins has been reappointed as coach of South Hobart, while Nick Lapolla is the new supremo at Hobart Zebras.

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Adam McKeown, 17, has been named as Metro-Claremont’s senior best-and-fairest player for the 2006 season, while Shane Kent was the players’ player of the year and the leading scorer.

Matthew O’Brien was Metro’s most consistent senior player.

Other award winners:  [Premier League Reserves]  Jamie Bingham (B & F), Adrian Lawler (Most Improved), Aaron Cooke (Coach’s Award);  [Under-19s]  Wayne Jackson (B & F), John Ramage (Most Consistent), Sean Atkinson (Coach’s Award);  [Women’s Division One]  Hayley Rayner (B & F), Debra Deegan (Most Consistent), Kelly Triffitt (Players’ Player);  [Steve Robins Memorial Award] Greg Saunders;  [Best Clubman Award] David Lipscombe.

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Former Hobart Zebras coach, Michael Edwards, has been appointed to head Clarence United’s newly established soccer academy.

“This is a very exciting undertaking by the club and will pay huge dividends,” said Clarence coach, Andrew Brown, who has himself just completed a coaching accreditation course in Hobart.

“Michael’s considerable coaching experience, coupled with his State Licence accreditation, is sure to benefit the players and other coaches at the club.

“The Academy hopes to offer more players the opportunity to further their football education.”

Clarence has also signed Hobart United’s star midfielder Kenyi Emmanueli and defender Ben Parker for the 2007 season.

Nathan Rees is returning from a year in Germany and David Hoppitt from a season in Queensland.

“I hope to sign several more senior players who are assessing their options at other clubs and who are reticent to make a decision before Christmas,” Brown said.

Dwayne Walsh and Paul Bremner were Clarence’s joint best-and-fairest winners, with Walsh also winning the ‘golden boot’ award as top scorer and Bremner taking out the players’ player-of-the-year award.

Walsh, Sam Cannamela and Michael Moschogianis represented southern Tasmania this year, while goalkeeper Moschogianis was also selected in the senior State side.

Matthew Gasparin, reappointed coach at Metro

Maureen McKeown and son Adam, Metro Claremont's Best and Fairest 2006

Metro's Matthew O'Brien - most consistent

Shane Kent, Metro's leading scorer and players' player

The Robins family

Michael Edwards, head of Clarence United's Academy