Highly respected Geelong football figure Ron Watt will lead the Eagles into the new Central Highlands Football League campaign.

Watt played two games for the Cats, but is probably best known for his roles off the field. He guided the VFL side for five seasons, winning the flag with Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson, Paul Chapman and James Kelly.

The 54-year-old told The Courier he was contacted by Gordon last Thursday and accepted the job on Saturday morning.

He said he had been keen to get back into coaching a team and the Gordon opportunity was a great fit.

“It’s close to home for me and seems like a pretty committed sort of club that’s not too far off the mark,” he said.

“I like their approach, down to earth nature and there’s just a really good feel about the whole town and what they were talking about with the club so it was an easy decision for me.”

Watt is a legend in the Geelong Football League with Geelong West-St Peter’s and North Shore. He was playing coach for four of North Shore’s premierships during the 1990s.

During his time at the Cats, he was a senior assistant under Gary Ayres, development coach and player development manager before departing the club in 2014.

Watt, who is now in a full time position as member services manager at the AFL Coaches Association, said he was excited to join Gordon and believed the senior position presented a new football focus.

Eagles president Peter Clifford was clearly thrilled with the appointment.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Clifford said.

Watt takes over the Gordon position following the departure of Gary Learmonth, who held the role for the past two seasons.

Learmonth stepped up to the helm following the Eagles’ grand final defeat in 2015 and led the side to a preliminary final in his first year in charge.

Gordon was eliminated in a semi-final by rivals Springbank during 2017.

News of Watt’s appointment follows the clearance of star player Ash Munari to Carisbrook for season 2018.

Munari, who booted more than 50 goals last season, joins the Maryborough Castlemaine District league reigning premiers.