Former Docker to take the reins as Peel Thunder senior development coach

SEASCAPES resident and former Fremantle Dockers player Daniel Haines has returned to Peel Thunder take on his new role as senior development coach.

Haines played for Peel Thunder until he was drafted by Fremantle Dockers in 2001 and finished playing with the AFL team in 2006.

“I completed a few more seasons with Peel Thunder after finishing with Freo but then I suffered from a knee injury and that was the end of my footy career,” he said.

Since 2015, Haines has been coaching with South Mandurah until he started his new role in November last year.

He said he hopes his two daughters, Jorja (12) and Ellah (14), will take more of an interest in WAFL footy now that he’s back in that environment.

“One of the main reasons why I wanted to come back to Peel Thunder was to let my daughters be around the WAFL,” he said.

Haines said he would be coming into a team who are “young and keen to work hard”.

“(This team has) won the last two premierships,” he said.

“The boys have been training really hard and they’re definitely looking forward to playing games over the next few weeks.

“I really think the reserves team will be competitive this year.

Taking on the role of senior development coach (also known as reserves coach) for Haines means he would be spending most of his time trying to guide the next generation.

“My role will include trying to get those guys up to the league team,” he said.

“We have got some good leaders in that team who are driving the group and you can see the professionalism it brings to the whole place.

“It’s going to be exciting.”

Haines said he watched a few games played by the team last year and was “impressed” .

“There’s a fair few players I haven’t really seen before so they have a bit of a clean slate,” he said.

“They played really good games under their previous coach Brad Dodd, who is now coaching colts, but with another pre-season the younger ones we will be a bit stronger and fitter.”

Haines said there can only be improvements.

“We will see how it pans out earlier in the season – it will be tough to get into the leagues so I’ll suggest we have some good players playing in reserves,” he said.