Sandringham Coaching Panel finalised ahead of 2022

17/3/2022

Sandringham Football Club is proud to announce Sam Dunell, Jimmy House, Trent Dennis-Lane, Ben Jacobs and Andy Farrall as our Assistant Coaches for the 2022 season.

Jacobs and Farrall are the latest additions to Sandringham’s coaching panel for the 2022 VFL season. House, Dunnell and Dennis-Lane will also enter their second year with Sandringham.

All four bring a vast knowledge of coaching and playing experience to these roles, with the team set to be led by Jake Batchelor (Senior Coach).

Sam Dunell

Former Saint Sam Dunell will be going around again as a playing coach for the Zebras. Last year was a milestone one for Dunell, making his 150th VFL appearance in Round 1 against Richmond.

After spending five seasons with Williamstown following a brief stint with St Kilda/Sandringham, Dunell came back to Sandringham in 2021 and played eight games, kicking eight goals during the season and winning the Neil Bencraft Best & Fairest.

As well as playing 12 AFL games with St Kilda, he’s now played 157 VFL games for the Bendigo Bombers, Williamstown and Sandringham, kicking 216 goals in those games.

Jimmy House

2022 will be Jimmy House’s second year at the VFL level and at Sandringham. He brings plenty of coaching experience, having previously been the mentor with North Heidelberg in the Northern Football Netball League in 2018 and 2019.

He guided the Bulldogs to two consecutive Preliminary Finals appearances in both those years and was a recipient of the AFL Victoria Coach of the Year in his first year.

Ahead of the eventually cancelled 2020 season, House was appointed Head Coach at Essendon District Football League club, Airport West, before joining us in late 2020.

Trent Dennis-Lane

Dennis-Lane is a familiar face down at Trevor Barker Beach Oval and will continue his role as an assistant coach in 2022. The former fourth round pick from Subiaco played 29 games and kicked 39 goals for the Saints and Swans before joining the Zebras full time in 2015.

Between 2013 and 2016 he played 55 games for us, kicking 109 goals as well as captaining Sandringham in 2016.

After spending four years at Bonbeach in the Mornington Peninsula Football League (and kicking 171 goals in 60 games) he came back to the Zebras as an assistant coach and made a cameo appearance in the last game of the 2021 season, kicking two goals in that game.

Ben Jacobs

Midfielder/tagger Jacobs joins the Zebras in 2022, bringing with him an abundance of top level experience having spent 10 years in the AFL system. Originally from the Sandringham Dragons and Brighton Grammar, he was selected at pick 16 in the 2010 national draft by Port Adelaide.

After spending two seasons and playing 26 games with the Power, he then moved back home and joined North Melbourne, subsequently playing 64 more games for them between 2013 and 2020.

He will replace Chris McKay, who’s taken on a bigger role in the Saints AFL side, as the midfield coach and he will also be the Saints' Development Coach.

Andrew Farrall

This will be Farrall’s first season as an assistant coach at Sandringham after joining us in 2021. He has plenty of VFL experience having previously been an assistant coach at the Box Hill Hawks under Max Bailey.

Written by Josh Ward - Sandringham Football Club Media