Guy Smith will coach Edenhope-Apsley for the 2020 Horsham District Football League season.
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Smith has a distinguished coaching pedigree in the Wimmera, having previously coached Beulah and Horsham to a combined four senior premierships.
Smith last coached Horsham's reserves in 2014, and was the high performance coach at Horsham last season.
Smith coached the Wimmera Football League's interleague side in 2019, something that reaffirmed his desire to be a coach.
"Getting back involved with that, that really got the juices flowing again, and really cemented that coaching is what I want to do," Smith said.
"I was keen to get back into a full time gig - and Edenhope-Apsley was a perfect fit."
Smith said he wanted to coach at a "town-based" club.
"The towns really back the club. Everyone in the region really gets behind the football club and wants the club to succeed, and for it to be a great place for the community," Smith said.
"For me, that is a fantastic place to be involved in.
"Previously when I coached at Beulah in 2000 and 2001, the town spirit behind the football club was a real driving force for their success.
"I wanted to be a part of something like that again."
Smith said he was hoping to help the Saints go one step further than their preliminary final finishes in the last two seasons.
"When you look at their playing list and the age of the players, they're all in their mid-to-late 20s, so they are just starting to develop that mature football brain," Smith said.
"It's perfect time for them to succeed.
"The fact that they've finished twice in a prelim and got knocked out, I think that can be a real driving force for them to go to the next level."
Smith said he was hopeful of retaining most of the playing list, including outgoing coach Chris Oliver.
"He's definitely still interested in playing for Edenhope-Apsley, so our fingers are crossed that that comes through," Smith said.
"Any club is going to have players come and go at this time of the year ... but the list they've got now is a really good, steady playing list.
"I'm personally really happy with it, but it also needs a few additions.
"We've got certain players that were locals of the town that might have moved away but are interested in returning home. We want to look after the locals because there is some real talent that has come out of the region."
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