The Southern Saints have announced the remainder of their coaching staff ahead of the 2018 AFL New Zealand Premiership. Craig Goodhue and Michael Bruhn will assist head coach Warwick Kain while Andriu Sucu will be the Playing Assistant Coach for the upcoming season.
Craig Goodhue – Assistant Coach
Auckland based Craig Goodhue will return to the Southern Saints for the 2018 season as Assistant Coach under Warwick Kain.
In 2016, Goodhue steered the Waitakere Magpies to the Auckland AFL Premiership as they went undefeated through the entire season. At the beginning of 2017, Goodhue tasted Premiership glory again with the Southern Saints.
Craig excels at developing and managing youth players and with a number of young talent coming through in this year’s AFL New Zealand National Draft, expect the 2018 Southern Saints draftees to be dominating on the field from Round 1 on February 11th.
Michael Bruhn – Assistant coach
The Southern Saints have announced that the Otago based Michael Bruhn will take up the role of assistant coach in 2018 and will link in with fellow Dunedinite and Head Coach Warwick Kain for the first time in the Premiership.
Bruhn has been an assistant coach for the past two AFL New Zealand Premiership seasons and plays a huge role in a developing market within Otago.
The AFL New Zealand Premiership has unearthed Otago youngsters Josh Mackie, Heta Scarf-Matthews who were both named in the Rising Stars during the 2016 season. The results come off the back from the hard work Bruhn has put in over the years within the region.
Andriu Sucu – Playing Assistant Coach
Already retained by the Southern Saints, Andriu Sucu will once again be the Playing Assistant Coach for the 2017 AFL New Zealand Premiers.
Sucu was ruled out of the 2016 competition through injury and returned in 2017 as a Playing Assistant Coach under Warwick Kain where he not only provided guidance on the field but won the AFL New Zealand Premiership Best and Fairest award after a stellar season.
The 27 year old has had great coaching success with his local club the North Shore Tigers, leading them through to the 2015 AAFL Grand Final.
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