A pair of former AFL teammates have combined to become Hepburn’s next set of senior co-coaches in one of country footy’s more explosive dual recruitments for some years.
Nick Hind and Devon Smith are set to take the reins together in a joint capacity, a remarkable combination coup for the Burras after a two-win season saw them finish 16th in the Central Highlands Football League this year.
The two both spent time on Essendon’s AFL list among respective careers spent across multiple clubs in the top flight, with Clunes original Hind now departing BFNL powerhouses Darley to take up Hepburn duties.
Meanwhile, Smith is set for his first ever taste of football in the region after spending the last three years playing back home in the Geelong district as the pair of friends venture north.
Want to take a guess how the Burras are feeling after confirming the news?
“It’s a pretty good day, there’s no doubt about it,” club president Shane Pedretti said Thursday.
“It was a bit of a whirlwind, where it was a conversation one day with Nick just to say g’day at first. I floated the idea, but he didn’t say too much.
“He got in contact after he finished playing footy. He and Devon put a proposal together, and it’s all come good.
“We’ve already got a lot contacting us. We were still working through some stuff, but we’ve had fathers ringing up saying their sons might come.
“Nick and Devon have hit the ground running, and we’ve pretty much re-signed everyone from last year.”
The pair step in to replace Josh Rafferty in that top job who stepped down after one season and will return to the Club as a player.
This information was sourced from the Ballarat Courier.
