Shepparton East announces Dwain Vidler as next head coach

Osborne was at the helm of the outfit for the past two seasons.

Vidler possesses significant pedigree in the role, having led the Eagles to a KDL premiership in 2016 during his first stint at the helm.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Vidler said of the new role.

“It works out really well for me to be able to take that on.

“Once Rob (Osborne) gave me the heads-up that he wasn’t going on, president (Stuart Cook) asked if I was into it with the group of players we’ve got.

“I’m closer to the end as a player than the start given I’ll be 38 next year and someone younger will be better than me eventually.”

That experience, having coached this side from 2014-18, may be just what Shepparton East needs to take the step that eluded them this past September.

“I made a lot of good friends being out there for such a period last time,” Vidler said.

“It’s a really good bunch of blokes and a few that I’ve coached before.”

The Eagles, who threatened as a contender all season in 2023, were dumped out of the preliminary finals in underwhelming fashion by a Nagambie side that blanketed them for large portions of the game.

Vidler maintains, though, that to “start from scratch” will take priority in his role — rather than rely on what worked in his first time overseeing the group.

“To be honest, I don’t think what was done last time will count for anything,” Vidler said.

“I don’t think you can take too much into (the successes) last time with the time and the differences with the players now.

“A handful of blokes are there who were part of what we did, but you start over and work out what’s best for this group.

“Even those players from before aren’t what they were, so as a group, we’ll hit pre-season running and go from there, see what happens.”