Ararat Rats sign senior football coach for 2022 WFNL season

The club announced Matt Walder will be re-appointed as senior coach for the 2022 season after a successful first two years with the club.

Walder said he was excited by the future of the club, making the decision to stay and easy one.

"The incentive there for me is to get another solid 12 months with the players and hopefully get a full season out and grow together," he said.

"We have really just taken baby steps since I have been here.

"There is an excitement with the group in terms of how far they can go and as I have said there are no limits on this group.

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"The vast majority of them are signed for next year which all bodes well for natural growth and improvement next year and that's exciting."

Walder was first signed by the Rats for two years to coach the 2020 and 2021 season.

In 2020 no football was played and in 2021 the young Rats have showed significant improvement throughout the season. He has flagged the club will look a little different in 2022, with the Rats looking to bolster their coaching stocks and add some experience to their list.

In 2021 Walder has played 12 games, but was coy on whether he will return to the field in 2022.

"I haven't made a call on that yet, I will know in a short course of time, but that's open at the minute," he said.

"They make me feel young and I bring the average age up.

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"I get great pleasure out of rubbing shoulders with the young players and they keep me honest and I'd like to think I have kept them honest as well."

Ararat Rats president David Hosking said the club was very happy with what Walder has brought to the club.

"We have been pretty happy with what he has done this year," he said.

"We were roundly tipped to be cannon fodder and in that first game we got a fair old belting from Stawell and it looked like it could have been a long year, but we have steadily improved which has been great.

"There is no doubt he has done a really top job with our young list."

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