Denmark-Walpole appoint former CJ Jamieson medallist and WAFL player Brad Nisbett as player-coach for 2022

Denmark-Walpole have announced ex-WAFL player Brad Nisbett as the man to lead their side forward in 2022. Nisbett will fill the role in a player-coach capacity in the 2022 Great Southern Football League season, and took charge in his first game for his new club in Saturday’s 42-point loss against Albany. His appointment comes after a dramatic lead-up to the GSFL season for the Magpies, who parted ways with last year’s league coach Alan Smallwood just over a week out from round one. Nisbett, a former Claremont player in the WAFL and the West Coast Amateur Football Club, will bring plenty of football knowledge to the challenging task ahead. The impressive midfielder won the CJ Jamieson Medal in 2015 as the best and fairest player in the Perth Football League’s A-grade competition. It will be the first time Nisbett has been a senior coach and the 31-year-old understands the tall order facing the Magpies, who have lost a host of their best senior players from last year. Nisbett arrived in the region three months ago to play for the Magpies, and although he wasn’t expecting to take on a coaching role, was happy to contribute. “I played at Claremont footy club for five years, playing through colts and reserves down there, and then also playing at West Coast Amateurs in the B-grade and A-grade level,” he said. “Me being new here, it’s hard to know how the club operates but I know there are blokes here with talent that can play. “It’s just a case of getting players on the park and then we can be competitive, I think.” Nisbett said the Magpies’ goal this season was to make the finals. “We just want to bring high energy levels and have a go but still target to make finals because you always want to put yourself in the position to win games,” he said. “Hopefully in the second half of the season, we can gain a bit of momentum.” The Magpies went down 15.9 (99) to 8.9 (57) in their season opener to the Sharks and host North Albany at home in round two.