VAFA champion appointed Big V senior coach

The Victorian Amateur Football Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Anthony Lynch as senior coach of the Big V representative team ahead of the VAFA’s clash against the Adelaide Footy League in June.

Lynch, who played more than 250 games and captained three premierships for St Kevin’s OB, retired at the end of the 2019 season and has since commenced his coaching career by taking up an assistant role with Essendon’s VFL side.

“I’m very grateful to everyone at the VAFA who has displayed great trust in me through this appointment,” he said.

“Along with my fellow coaches, we will galvanise this group built on mateship and being totally united by the Big V.”

Lynch was a six-time Big V representative player, captained the B-D4 side in 2013 and 2015, and was named best afield in the senior side’s record-breaking 82-point win over AFL Victoria Country in 2017 under the guidance of outgoing coach, Stu Powell.

“Representing the Big V provided me with some of the most fantastic memories throughout my playing career, and to now have the opportunity to positively influence the experiences for our current players as a coach is an incredibly exciting proposition,” he said.

“It’s really important to me to continue to build on the strong momentum and work Stuey has put into the VAFA rep program over the past five years and I’m absolutely committed to delivering on that.”

After captaining the St Kevin’s College First XVIII in 2003, he joined SKOB as a big-bodied full-forward and took little time to debut at senior level when he kicked six goals against Old Paradians. Every game he played from 2006-2019 was in the senior side and few would argue he turned himself into one of the greatest and toughest rucks in the VAFA.

A snapshot of his achievements is below:

• Senior Best & Fairest Award: 2010 & 2013
• Club Captain: 2011 – 2018. Shared with Ben Dowd (2011-12) & Nick Wood (2017-18)
• Premiership Captain: 2015 (Premier B) 2017-18 (William Buck Premier)
• 6-time Big V representative player: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 x2, 2017
• Big V Premier B – Division 4 Captain: 2013 & 2015
• Big V Seniors Best on Ground Medal Winner: 2017
• St Kevin’s Old Boys Life Member: 2015

The senior Big V side will face the Adelaide Footy League on June 6 at Elsternwick Park alongside the women’s and U19’s.