DEAN YOUNG JOINS SENIOR MEN’S COACHING GROUP FOR 2027

Westmeadows Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Dean Young as Senior Men's Assistant Coach for the 2027 season, joining premiership coaches Ash Flavel and Markus Welsh as our Senior Men prepare for the challenge of Division One football.

Following our 2026 season that saw our Senior Men claim their first premiership in 42 years, the club continues to strengthen its senior football program, with Dean's appointment bringing further experience and knowledge to an already established coaching group.

Dean brings eight seasons of senior coaching experience across the EDFL and RDNFL, having held both Head Coach and Assistant Coach roles at various levels of competition.

His coaching background includes two seasons as an Assistant Coach in the RDNFL, two seasons in EDFL Premier Division and one season in EDFL Division Two. He has also held Senior Head Coaching positions in the EDFL, including one season in Division One and two seasons in Division Two.

Having coached across several levels of senior football, he brings a strong understanding of the demands, expectations and challenges that come with competing in higher divisions. His experience as both a Head Coach and Assistant Coach will be a valuable asset to our senior men's program, providing another experienced voice within the coaching group as we continue to develop our playing list and establish ourselves in Division One.

Dean Young co-coaching the Sunbury Kangaroos during the 2026 season.

Before moving into coaching, Dean enjoyed a playing career that included senior football at Oak Park and Glenroy, along with representing North Melbourne at Under 19 level.

Dean also has an existing connection to Westmeadows, having played his junior football with the Tigers at Under 16 level. We are particularly pleased to welcome him back to the club where part of his football journey began, this time as a member of our senior coaching staff.

The appointment comes at an important time for our Senior Men's program. After the success of 2026, the focus now turns to building on the foundations established throughout our premiership season and ensuring our playing group is well prepared for the increased competition that Division One will bring.

Under the leadership of Ash Flavel, our Senior Men have developed a strong culture built on hard work, commitment and accountability. The relationships established between the coaching staff and playing group have been a significant part of our recent success, and maintaining those standards will remain a priority heading into 2027.

With Dean joining the program, we believe we have assembled an experienced and well-rounded coaching group capable of continuing to develop our players, both individually and collectively.

As we enter a new chapter for our senior men's program, it is important that we continue to challenge ourselves, strengthen the areas that contributed to our premiership success and build a program capable of competing consistently at Division One level.

We are excited about what Dean will bring to the club and look forward to seeing him work alongside Ash, Markus and our playing group throughout the upcoming preseason and 2027 season.

Welcome back to Westmeadows, Dean. We look forward to having you on board!