Favourite son back for Lions

Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault has become the latest South West Football League club to announce a new coach.

Lions product and former AFL player Derek Hall will take the reins at Brunswick Oval in 2017, replacing Matt Templeton.

Hall won the SWFL’s 1988 Rising Star award while playing for the Lions and played 74 AFL games with Geelong between 1995 and 2000.

He also played two games for West Coast after being drafted in 1990.

At WAFL level, Hall was West Perth’s leading goal kicker in 1990 and 1994 before winning fairest-and-best awards at Peel Thunder in 2001 and 2003.

He was also the Thunder’s leading goal kicker in 2003.

Hall left Peel to coach country football in Victoria before taking time away from the game.

Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault were major improvers in 2016, finishing second on the table with a 15-3 record under Templeton’s leadership before being bundled out of the finals following two tight losses.

The club finished ninth in 2015, winning just two of their 18 games.

Hall’s appointment means another piece of the SWFL coaching puzzle for next season has been completed.

Bunbury colts coach Brett Maguire has moved to the Eaton Boomers to coach a league side he once captained.

The Bulldogs have lured former Hayward Medallist Jamie Nani from Carey Park to coach the club.