Tara Murray
Anthony Montrose and Phil Crea will coach Albanvale after a shock coaching change at the Western Football League division 2 club.
Ange Messina was set to coach the club for a second straight season with the club announcing his reappointment in August.
The club announced on Monday that “unfortunately” it had decided to part ways with Messina and thanked him for his hard work.
Just hours later they announced that Montrose and Crea would coach the side.
Montrose returns to the club after 13 years, having been a player and reserves premiership coach in 2010.
He then moved onto the Essendon District Football League, including helping set up two women’s programs.
Crea played nearly 500 games in the league and was a premiership winning coach with Glen Orden in 2019.
He has most recently been an assistant coach at the Suns.
Montrose said it had all just fallen into place and they were excited to get into it.
“I coached women’s football for four years and had a break,” he said. “I helped out Andrew Bryson in his final year at the club.
“Both my boys are down here and have been around and watched some games. There’s a bit of passion again to coach.
“I played against Phil a long time ago.”
Montrose said the pair were a bit of yin and yang, but were hoping that it would be the right mix.
He said they are both keen to get the best out of the group.
“I think we compliment each other,” he said. “Phil has been entrenched in the league and knows a lot about the opposition.
“For me, that is what we need and I can top that with other strengths. We’ll talk to the group about what they want to get from their footy.
Montrose said they thought they already had a good group of players at the club and would add extra talent if they needed to.
The Cobras finished six this year, knocked out in the first week of finals.
“Sitting and watching, I know what the deficiencies are and we’ll fill those spots if we need,” he said.
“I think the list is good enough. In the loss to Wyndhamvale, we were missing six walk up starters, so that will close the gap.”
