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Our Coaches

Dynamic Footy Skills coaches are some of the most respected and experienced in Aussie Rules. They have experience at the highest levels of footy, including AFL, VFL, State, TAC Cup and Interleague. Our dedicated coaching team work together to challenge, motivate and guide players to become their best as junior AFL footballers.

ADRIAN ‘TALA’ TALARICO – Director of Coaching

Having coached and mentored at AFL, TAC/NAB Cup & League Representative level, Adrian has one of the most impressive junior coaching resumes in Australia. Working 4 years full-time with AFL Victoria’s TAC/NAB powerhouse clubs Northern Knights FC & Calder Cannons FC, Adrian performed a multitude of roles as Head Coach, Football Development Manager & Lead Recruiter, helping develop many AFL players who now enjoy successful careers at the elite level.
When it comes to the AFL club system, Adrian’s experience extends into Elite AFL club circles, having Head Coached and Program Managed three separate junior development pathways with AFL clubs Collingwood FC, St Kilda FC and North Melbourne FC. Adrian’s passion for junior development led him to establish Dynamic Footy Skills, the leading junior development skills program provider in Australia.
As a qualified Primary & Secondary PE, HHD, Science & Classroom school teacher, Adrian’s passion for coaching and teaching naturally led him to sit on the prestigious School Sport Victoria AFL sub-committee. Wherein he was given the responsibility of educating all Primary and Secondary teachers within the state of Victoria about AFL education skills and drills. Including presenting professional development seminars at the largest teachers conference in the Southern Hemisphere, the Victorian ACPHER convention.

MICHAEL ‘MICK’ TALBOT – Head of Football Development

When it comes to pure coaching knowledge, there are very few who can match the scope of expertise accumulated by Michael Talbot. From recruiting duties with AFL club Fremantle FC, to his current role as Head Coach of Collingwood’s AFL Next Generation Girls Academy. Michael has a vast range of AFL/VFL coaching knowledge & experience spread across 8 years.
Michael’s diverse coaching development extends further than AFL, having had the honour of spending time with world renown Real Madrid FC Junior Academy. There Michael focused on the methodology and development of junior athletes. Michael also had the privilege of being mentored by world leading junior development coach, Portugal’s very own Jaime Sampaio.
Michael’s field experience is complimented with an educational base built upon a Masters of Sports Science (Football Performance) & a Bachelor of Sports Coaching (Sports Science Stream).

BRETT ‘POTTSY’ POTTER – Head Coach

Brett has been coaching non-stop for 16 years. He has dedicated the last 4 years developing the next wave of AFL players, within Victoria’s junior talented player pathway, the TAC Cup. For three of those years, he was responsible for Head of Recruiting as well as Head Academy TAC Cup Coach.
In 2014 Brett accepted an offer to join AFL football club Carlton in the recruiting department, where he was able to bring his unique and uncanny ability of unearthing raw and untapped junior talent.
A qualified Level 2 accredited AFL coach, Brett also has extensive experience within AFL Victoria’s Inter-league Metro Championships, having coached & coordinated each age of Interleague juniors from U12s – U17s.

JARRAD ‘JC’ CAREY – Head Coach

Jarrad has immense coaching and administration experience at both AFL and local league level. He spent seven years at AFL powerhouse Collingwood FC, fulfilling full-time roles such as team manager, player recruitment and opposition analysis. Jarrad has also been an opposition analyst for Western Australian based AFL club, the Fremantle Dockers.
During a 3 year stint as Football Operations Manager within the Northern Football League, Jarrad was responsible for the implementation of the leagues’ Junior Development Program. This elite program paved the way for talented players to represent the league within the AFL Victoria’s Interleague Metro Championships.
Passionate about helping junior footy players reach their potential, Jarrad has returned to the AFL Victoria Interleague Metro Championships, accepting the role of Head Coach within the Essendon District Football League representative program.

BEN ‘SHELTZ’ SHELTON – Head Coach

After a decorated playing career, Ben has coached at both interleague and school level. He has coached the NFL’s U13s and is currently a coach within the EDFL Junior Representative Program. As St Monica’s College’s former Director of AFL, he oversaw their AFL teams and training. For the last five years, he coached their senior side (Year 10-12). As a player, he played juniors at St Damien’s and Mill Park, representing the Northern Knights from 1999 to 2000.
After four years in the VFL with the Northern Bullants (Blues), he spent four years at Euroa. Now he is vice-captain at Bundoora Bulls, playing in the 2013 premiership. He has been named in the NFL’s Division 1 ‘Team of the Year’ for 2009, ’10, ’11.

DAVE ‘WITCH’ WITCHELL – Head Coach

Dave’s dedication to football and fitness is certainly something for junior football players to look up to. He manages to cram as much football as he can around his full-time job as a primary school PE teacher, with his sparkling coaching record covering both seniors and juniors.
After ten years as a senior coach and a number of Premierships, his record in juniors mirrors that success. For eight years, he coached the Victorian School Boys U12 and U15 teams. Recently, he was a member of the coaching panel of the VAFA U18 representative team. Witch still makes time for grassroots junior football, coaching two First Division junior premierships in recent years.

DARREN ELDRETT – Head Coach

With over ten years of experience as a junior coach, Darren has previously been the head coach of the Northern Knights U15 Keith Burns Development Squad. In the last six years, he was involved with the NFL Junior interleague teams, coaching U11s, U12s, U13s, U14s and U15s. He is a Level 2 accredited AFL coach.

JOEL STEINDL – Head Coach

Described as “one of the best one-on-one coaches going around” Joel is a highly regarded TAC Cup development coach, a position he has excelled at for three years.
His expertise is enhanced further after spending 13 consecutive years at the North Melbourne’s coaching nerve-centre, involved in matchday operations in the coaches’ box. He’s also a coaching coordinator at grassroots and interleague levels. He is a Level 2 AFL accredited coach.

MICHAEL INGLIS – Specialist Coach

The current Sports Pyschologist at the North Melbourne Football Club, Michael has coached at interleague level and worked with players at both TAC and AFL level.
His years of experience includes years of working with players in the TAC competition and another two years coaching inter-league U15 representative sides.

MURRAY SCHNEIDER – Specialist Coach

Murray is one of the most experienced elite level junior coaches in Victorian football. After playing over 300 senior games, he has crafted out an impressive coaching career. A Level 2 AFL accredited coach. For 6 years, he coached the NSW/ACT U18 Rams. A student of the game, he spent years developing juniors within the TAC Cup system.
After two years at Eastern Ranges he spent six years with the Northern Knights. During 2003-4, Murray headed up the SEARS Academy, an institute for talented junior footballers. He has coached inter-league U17 representative football. He is also as a Senior Talent ID and recruiter for several elite player pathway systems.

MIKE GEORGE – Specialist Coach

Over 14 years in junior football, Mike has experience with nearly all ages and levels. For nine years, he coached the Northern Knights U15 Keith Burns Squad. He has shared his vast knowledge and expertise during countless presentations at level 0 & level 1 coaching courses.
Many years of exposure to elite junior development squads have helped Mike build a wide knowledge of the attributes required to assist footballers improve and reach their potential.

JASON TONNA – Specialist Coach

Jason commenced his coaching career within the Senior ranks at the Thomastown Football Club. After tasting premiership success at senior level, Jase turned his attention to junior football coaching and has never looked back.
In four years, he lead a local junior team from perennial celler-dwellers to four-time premiership winners. Jason has coached at U14 and U15 Inter-League Representative football for the past three years and is a Level 2 AFL coaching accreditation. He embodies the DFS passion and commitment to junior coaching & development.

ADAM MARCON – Specialist Coach

Adam might need to be added to a different DFS page after being selected in the 2015 Rookie Draft by the Richmond Football Club. Adam has an incredible playing resume, winning VFL Ford Coaches Awards (2012), VFL Most Promising Player (2015) and representing Victoria for the VFL (2012, 14, 15). He received best on ground honours in his 2014 VFL Vic representative match.  In a coaching capacity, Adam has a great rapport with junior footballers transferring his first-hand knowledge of today’s footy with ease.

DOM TAGLIERI – Specialist Coach

When you scroll through Dom’s coaching career, you quickly realise he has spent time with junior players from all age groups. ‘At least a year at each age group’, would be a good way of describing Dom’s local grassroots coaching.
For the past 4 years, Dom has fulfilled the role of Head Coach at Inter-League Representative level, coaching players U/14, U/15 and U/16 age groups developing them for the expectations of U/18 TAC Cup football.

ADAM ‘GURU’ VELI – Head of Strength & Conditioning

There isn’t a safer pair of hands in the industry when it comes to Strength & Conditioning than ‘The Guru’ Adam Veli. Exercise and Sport Science was always the road destined for Adam. It is in his blood. After completion of his Sport & Exercise Science degree, Adam continued his study, completing his Masters of Exercise Science (Strength & Conditioning).
Complementing his plethora of knowledge is his extensive industry experience at Local and Elite level, currently fulfilling the High-Performance Manager role at the Essendon Football Club Next Generation Academy. His resume includes roles throughout the sporting world across a variety of Elite sports including AFLW, VFL, VIS, AFL National Talent Umpires & Cricket Victoria.
Adam’s passion meant that starting his own Junior Performance Academy was inevitable. In 2017 Adam founded the AV High Performance Academy, and has since grown the Academy to become an industry leader when it comes to Junior Strength & Conditioning.
Adam’s expertise as a sports & condition ‘guru’ is only matched by his passion to unlock the full potential of every athlete he coaches.