Two-time premiership coach Tom Davies took part in Lancaster's first pre-season training run last week.
A new era has commenced at Lancaster Football Netball Club after a two-time premiership coach stepped away from the senior coaching role following four years in the hot seat.
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Nick Ryan is the new coach of the Wombats, but the great news is he will have the previous senior team mentor, Tom Davies, on his playing roster.
When the 2025 season rolls around Ryan, 26, will be in his seventh season of senior football with Lancaster.
He emerged as a potential star with a 34-goal, 20-game under-18 season in 2016 and since 2018 has played 83 games. His best season was a 20-game, 22-goal 2022 season when he was outstanding in the finals series.
One of the great coups for the new coach was securing league medallist and larger than life figure Davies in his ranks.
Davies was glowing in his endorsement of Ryan as coach, saying Lancaster worked to systems and processes, which would allow Ryan to slot neatly into the role.
“Nick has taken a majority of our fitness training during my time as coach and has great leadership skills, so the potential to coach has always been there,” Davies said.
Nick Ryan had a very young group for his first training session as coach of the Kyabram District League Wombats.
“He also gets along great with the current playing group.”
Davies will be ready for round one after having his surgery in March this year and missing all of the 2024 season.
The 29-year-old played his last game with the Wombats in round 11 of the 2023 season, having been crowned the league’s best player in the COVID-shortened 2021 season.
Davies surrendered the coaching role as a result of work, study and commitments on the home front.
“I wanted to focus on playing without the pressure of coaching. I’m also busy with a young family and work, which are requiring more of my time,” he said.
Davies said he was hoping to come straight back into the midfield, but didn’t rule out a defensive role alongside new assistant coach Adam Lovison.
Daniel Foley was a big improver with Lancaster this year and has spent most of his break in the gym preparing for the 2025 season.
He said he was looking forward to playing alongside some of the under-18 players from last season, including Nate Oliver, Tom Withall and Declan Hallett.
“They all got a taste of senior football this year and will cement a spot with big pre-seasons,” he said.
As for his brother, Luke, he said his playing future was still up in the year, after a successful season with Shepparton Swans in the Goulburn Valley League this year.
“Luke hasn’t signed anywhere yet. He is up in Darwin playing with St Mary’s (second on the ladder with a 5-1 win/loss record) and will make a decision before the end of the NT season,” he said.
Tom Davies’ McNamara Medal win came in his first year of coaching, a shared role with current Kyabram coach Corey Carver.
Davies not only won the league award, but back-to-back club best and fairests in 2021 and the premiership season of 2022.
The Kyabram under-age star went from his first season of under-18 football at Kyabram to a 12-senior game season with Lancaster in 2013. After 38 games in two seasons at Shepparton Swans he played 31 games in two seasons with the NT Thunder in the North Eastern Australian Football League and then returned to Lancaster in 2019
Lancaster is currently in talks with the Kyabram District League officials over a proposed Easter Saturday game against Rushworth to start the season.
Club president Michael Mott said that was one of the options that had been put forward to clubs for round one.
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