New Lakies coach brings BFNL, CHFlL experience

Jake Dunne has landed the job after three years with Ballarat Swans in the BFNL.

The 30-year-old fills the vacancy left by Nick Willox, who stood aside after five years, but is staying on as a player.

The appointment marks a return to the CHFL for Dunne, with him having moved from East Point to Buninyong in 2016, where he spent time as an assistant coach.

A key position player, Dunne joined the Swans in 2020, but COVID-19, injury and work commitments did not allow him to get into full stride at the club.

Dunne said landing the Learmonth job had come together quite quickly.

"It all moved quite quickly once we sat down and had a chat."

He said while the process had been fast, he had been interested in coaching for quite some time, having got a taste of it at Buninyong.

"As you get older you start thinking about ways of staying involved in football, so when this opportunity presented itself it was too good to refuse.

"I have been close to a few other roles over the past two or three years, but it did not go my way so I'm rapt.

"It's an incredible opportunity - especially with the group (of players) we have."

Dunne said Learmonth was in a really good position to use 2021, in which it returned to finals and won a final for the first time in more than decade, as a platform for more success.

"I have been fortunate to have been involved in some pretty good clubs in terms of success.

"While I haven't won a premiership I have gone close a few times so I have seen first hand what it takes and been part of driving that success."

He also placed importance on his year of senior football at South Barwon. "That really set me up for the standards I have carried throughout my playing career.

"Hopefully that rubs off on the boys and we create something special."

Dunne his main focus would be on improvement, which he is confident can be huge.

"We'll see where that takes us. I am not putting limitations on the group."