The Magpies have secured Dale Cowell on a massive three-year senior coaching deal, while also confirming Jayden Hind has been reappointed as captain for 2016.

Cowell, who coached Trentham for three seasons in the Maryborough Castlemaine District competition, lands at Clunes with a determination to achieve success, while Hind remains at the Magpies despite his brother Nick leaving the club and signing with Ballarat league side East Point.

The 45-year-old Cowell said he believed the Magpies could “definitely” achieve a flag during his time at the club.

Clunes, which has not won a premiership since 1997, is out to break a long finals drought and improve off a 12th-placed finish to last season.

“Obviously a pass mark is to finish above what they did last year,” Cowell said.

While the short-term goal is bettering the miserly six wins from last season, Cowell is looking down the track, with a focus towards youth and developing a club-wide coaching philosophy.

Cowell told The Courier he brought a range of skills to the job held down by Jason Hill and Michael McKenzie in 2015.

“I’m probably a good communicator as well as a good listener and a big strength is in teaching football and a brand of football we want to be known for,” he said.

“It’s uncompromising footy. We want to be attacking - we don’t want to go back into our shells - and we want to (play) an exciting brand of footy and put on a show for the crowd.”

The club revealed it interviewed eight candidates for the job over the last three months before offering Cowell the position.

Cowell’s appointment leaves just Carngham-Linton and Ballan as the clubs still to announce senior coaches in the Central Highlands competition ahead of season 2016.

Clunes will hold a meet and greet family day on November 1, with pre-season training set to start on November 18.