BLACK and white is firmly in Tyson Goldsack’s blood.
He wore the colours in 165 AFL games across a 13-season career with Collingwood before switching to the Magpies of Port Adelaide for 10 SANFL games in 2021.
While he won a premiership with the AFL Magpies, the newest coach of Port Adelaide’s SANFL side is well aware that success has been hard to come by in recent years at Alberton – something he hopes to change as he takes the helm.
“We know the restrictions (on recruiting) are there but we have a group of contracted players who are courageous and work hard to be part of our set-up,” Goldsack says. “They turn up and are driven to play good footy and I am fully confident that we can bring an exciting brand of footy and win more next year.
“We’ve got a good group of players who played with us this year and will go around again and we’re looking to add a bit of youth and quality to that as well.”
Goldsack is replacing the outgoing Matthew Lokan, who has departed the club after five seasons. He becomes the 41st person to coach the club’s SANFL side, joining names like Stephen Williams, John Cahill, and Fos Williams on the honour board.
And he knows the responsibility that comes with his role.
“I feel so much pride to have my name alongside some incredible names of Australian football,” Goldsack says.
“I love the passion of the contracted players that we get and the supporters who are there every week, and more than anything I love the history that is attached to our SANFL program.
“I feel a responsibility to perform and do what we can to win games and keep that history strong, but I am really excited about that.
“We wear the guernsey every week with pride and want to play the strong, tough brand of footy that this club is known for.
“Yes, we are there to develop players on our AFL list but we are also there to win games of SANFL football and win finals.”
Goldsack’s first task will be finalising a playing list for next season with discussions underway with several exciting new faces.
The rest of Goldsack’s coaching team will be finalised in the coming weeks.
