Jesse Giardina ready for footy coaching challenge with Parrots

Jesse Giardina has had little time since his March appointment as Leongatha’s Thirds coach before the side’s season opener against Traralgon on Saturday, but knows some of the players through cricket, albeit to varying degrees.
The Leongatha Town captain and coach has been largely focused on the summer game in recent seasons after hamstring troubles forced his retirement from footy at the age of 24.
By then, he’d managed about 170 to 180 Senior games for Boolarra and Mirboo North in the Mid Gippsland Football Netball League, having broken into Senior ranks aged just 14.
Reminiscing about his playing days, Giardina recalls he “used to kick a fair few goals”.
He spoke about how his move back to footy arose.
“It happened quickly; I was coaching a few of the boys at the cricket club and they said they needed a (footy) coach and I said I’d be interested,” he explained, adding that at the age of 30 he felt ready to get into footy coaching.
Having some blokes at the club he already knows has smoothed the move into his new role, with plenty of people at the Parrots happy to give Giardina a hand as he settles in.
He’s been busy learning names and getting an idea how members of his squad play, along with conveying the game style he wants to see and what values are important.
“We want to play an exciting brand of footy, which is moving the ball fast, kick high scores and put on a show for the spectators,” Giardina said.
Aydan Williams, Finn Donohue and Alby Logan are among the handy midfielders the new coach has at his disposal.
“Mitch Croatto looks a crafty Full Forward, pretty silky, and then we’ve got some key backs like Fletcher McLennan and Klayton McGrath,” Giardina said.
With a healthy contingent of last year’s beaten Preliminary Final side still in the Under 18s squad, he is hopeful the side can achieve a premiership this year.
However, Giardina stressed that player development is a major focus and he’ll be wrapped if four or five of the Thirds players get a taste of Senior action this season.
In the absence of an Under 18s coach for most of the preseason, the Thirds have been training alongside the Parrots Senior squad, meaning the young players have a good idea what is required if they get the call up.
While it’s been a long time since his last game, Giardina hasn’t ruled out adding to his goal tally, this time in Parrots’ colours, contemplating training with his young charges and perhaps pulling on the boots occasionally at Reserves level if his body holds up.