Tara Murray
It’s somewhat fitting that Dale McDonald has taken over the senior coaching role at Footscray Cricket Club.
Having spent a large part of his playing career at the club, McDonald returned to the club the last couple of years in a playing and coaching capacity.
With Allan Wise making the decision to step down as head coach after three seasons, McDonald was the obvious choice to step into the role.
In a statement, the club said it was Wise’s decision to step down from the role.
“Wisey originally agreed to a two-year contract while his children were still relatively young, he saw this as his window to coach,” the statement said.
“We managed to squeeze a third year out of him given the effects of COVID on the two previous seasons.
“I chatted to Wisey before the start of the season and he indicated that this would be his last season as coach.
“Fortunately for us he is most keen to still be involved in the club in some capacity, so we will still see him around regularly
“Allan Wise has done an absolutely fantastic job where two of the three seasons where he has coached the club, all four XIs have been in the finals for the first time in the club’s history.”
McDonald said it was exciting to come into the coaching role.
“I’ve been at the club for the last couple of years as a high performance coach and captaining the seconds,” he said.
“I played 12 years at Footscray at premier cricket in my early days and that’s how it all started.
“There’s been a link at Footscray for a long time.”
In his time between stints at the club, McDonald coached at Williamstown and Brighton in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.
He said that he had always wanted to get back into a senior coaching role.
“I was biding my time until the right opportunity came about.
“Given that I had such a big history with the club, I had always wanted to coach Footscray, but it wasn’t something you earmark.
“Getting back involved with the club the last couple of seasons, obviously helped that progression into coaching the senior club.”
McDonald said Wise had left the club in a much better position to how it was when he arrived.
He said he hoped to continue the legacy that Wise had left.
“I don’t think we need to change too much, Casey-South Melbourne played off in the grand final in the first XI, we had beaten them early in the year.
“A few things have to fall your way.”
Wise said they wouldn’t look too far outside their program for next season with the club already having really good depth.
The young talent coming through is really strong. Two players Max Birthisel and James Doherty will play in the under-19 national championships the next few weeks.
