Former Essendon player Daniel McAlister to coach Thurgoona for next two years

Bulldogs officials announced the prized signing of McAlister initially on a two-year deal to the playing group at training on Tuesday night.

He replaces Dan Cleary at the helm after three-years in the top job.

McAlister said it was 'an honour and a privilege' to be Thurgoona's next coach.

"It would be an understatement if I didn't say I was honoured and privileged to be Thurgoona's next senior coach... 100 percent," McAlister said.

McAlister is a premiership coach at Osborne and the longest serving in the club's history after joining the Hume league in 1970.

He coached the league powerhouse from 2011-15 and took the Tigers from ninth to the flag in his first two seasons at the helm.

McAlister said he always had intentions of coaching again but couldn't commit until now with his job as a construction manager with Joss Group.

He is an assistant coach at Osborne this season under Joel Mackie.

Both McAlister's sons, Bailey and Ollie, are senior regulars for the Tigers this season.

"My work commitments have fundamentally been my priority since departing Osborne," he said.

"But with a couple of high-profile building projects in Albury I have been able to be assistant coach at Osborne this year under Joel which I thoroughly enjoy.

"So the romance of coaching again is there and it was just a matter of pursuing it.

"The stars have aligned the last couple of months and I'm thrilled at the prospect of coaching again next year."

McAlister revealed Leigh 'Gooba' McGlynn initially made contact with him several months ago about coaching the Bulldogs.

McGlynn is a former Bulldogs coach and an integral part of the club's recruiting committee who was handed the task of finding Cleary's successor.

"Gooba made contact to see if I would be interested in coaching again a few months back," he said.

"I fobbed him off initially and gave him every excuse I could think of why I couldn't coach.

"I told him to target a high-profile player from the O&M but he kept persisting for whatever reason.

"Gooba was relentless and on the podium for the most relentless bloke I've encountered.

"The late, great GT O'Connell (former Osborne president) is probably the gold medallist but 'Gooba' is a close second.

"I had a good rapport with 'Gooba' previously but when Joel announced he was stepping down at Osborne, that probably ramped up the negotiations with Thurgoona.

"I got sprung a few times by Thurgoona players meeting with 'Gooba' at the Kinross Woolshed who said 'what's going on here.'

"I just said we were negotiating a few housing contracts which were blatant lies."

Both Bailey and Ollie played juniors at Thurgoona before making their senior debuts at the kennel.

McAlister also had an unofficial role in helping with the club's reserves.

"I certainly have an appreciation for the club and the community for providing my two boys with their first senior opportunity," McAlister said.

"They got to play under players the calibre of Brett Doswell, Jamarl O'Sullivan and Jayden Kotzur.

"The club was fortunate to have some amazing leaders during that golden era from 2016-19."

Thurgoona endured a golden era from 2016-19 for the first time in its history after joining the competition in 1988 after an influx of former O&M players.

The former league whipping boys played in four consecutive grand finals for three flags including back to back titles in 2016-17 and their most recent flag in 2019.

McAlister was hoping he could prove to be an even better coach in his second stint.

"I certainly feel that my life is more balanced since the last time I coached," he said.

"Those five years at Osborne were amazing and I can't speak highly enough of the community and culture at the club.

"So I'm going into this next coaching venture, fully understanding what's involved and better prepared than when I coached Osborne.

"I feel that I have learnt heaps being an assistant coach under Joel.

"He brings an amazing game style and demeanor to the team and you only have to look at his record at Osborne winning almost 50 matches straight."

The Bulldogs sit ninth with a 6-8 record and while they mathematically can still play finals it remains a longshot.

McAlister paid tribute to the job Cleary had done over the past four years after being handed the double whammy of Covid and a mass player exodus after the 2019 flag triumph.

"You have to appreciate what Dan has done with this group during Covid and dealing with a mass exodus of marquee players," McAlister said.

"You look at the 2019 premiership photo and it's just littered with stars.

"But now you would probably struggle to name a marquee player.

"He's gone with a youth policy and now I have the luxury of taking over a young team that will thrive from his tireless work.

"No matter what the outcome in regards to finals this year, Dan Cleary has left this club in an amazing position.

"If this club goes forward in the next couple of years, make no mistake Dan has had a lot to do with it."

Despite boasting an extensive contact list after playing at the elite level with Essendon and having stints at Wodonga Raiders and Albury, McAlister said he wouldn't necessarily target high-profile recruits.

"I am a big believer in the development of youth, first and foremost," he said.

"So if this club is to go forward, there's no point in bringing in 10 four-pointers for two years and they all disappear again.

"I will do everything in my power to develop the group that Dan has presented to me.

"There will be an opportunity that some of my contacts will be utilised.

"The door is open for recruits with good families and all our recruits will be vetted from that point of view.

"That's important to me and the types of values that I hold dear and so does the Thurgoona community.

"We won't be getting caught up in some gun player that everyone is talking about if he is not the right fit for our club."

McAlister revealed his two sons were no guarantee to play at the kennel next year but there was a caveat.

"My two boys are free to do whatever they want and that was made very clear with my discussions with the club," he said.

"They have developed immensely under the Mackie regime.

"But one thing I will tell you, they won't be following Mackie to Jindera no matter how much they rate him as a coach."

McAlister encouraged the Bulldogs faithful to remain loyal and vowed to do everything in his power for the club to return as a finals force.

"I want the supporters to stick strong and I will say what amazing facilities the club has got now," he said.

"I'm used to being in that old shed over there where I felt comfortable but this new facility is first-rate.

"I'm under no illusion that the professionalism has moved a lot since I last coached.

"There are some coaching fundamentals that don't change and one of those is the connection you have with the players and the people around the club.

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"That's what I want to bring.

"I will leave no stone unturned in my endeavor to get this club back to being a finals force again.

"I won't beat around the bush, I'm happy to be on the record to say I'm here to play in grand finals.

"I'm not here to be part of honourable losses, make no mistake I'm not here for that.

"I'll call a spade a spade and I'm here to win a grand final."

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