Rams sign Pritchard

257916_17

The Western Rams have locked in a head coach for 2024 while awaiting a decision on where it will play next season.

The Rams announced that they had secured the services of experienced coach Ash Pritchard via social media earlier this month.

Pritchard has coached across the country going back to the early 2000s where he coached the Manunda Hawks in Cairns.

He then moved down the coast to coach Robina for two years.

In 2015 he was a part of a strong Sunbury Lions set up, before moving back to Cairns to take on a role at the South Cairns Cutters. His most recent coaching stint came at Lismore Swans, where he led them to their first finals appearance in 20 years.

The struggling Rams haven’t won a game since 2018 which prompted decision makers at the club to question whether it should move into the Western Region Football League. The club hosted a special general meeting on October 18 to discuss and vote on the move, where it was unanimously agreed that a move into the WRFL from the Riddell District Football League would best suit its needs.

WRFL clubs are set to vote on whether to allow the Rams into the competition this week, with just a majority vote needed.

President Stephen Lalli-Cafini previously told this paper said it would be the best outcome for the club.

“Our location, we’re right in the middle of the west, so there won’t be a whole lot of travel,” he said.

“We want to go across and be a bit more competitive.

“The league [RDFL] is just going to continue to get stronger and stronger, and just where we are I think it’s better suited for us to be playing in our own region.”