GSFL 2024: Royals and Railways confirm Darrell Panizza and Bodhi Stubber as coaches for upcoming season

In a major shift to the senior coaching landscape, powerhouse Albany-based clubs Royals and Railways have appointed new league coaches for the 2024 Great Southern Football League season. Coaches Mark Bayliss (Railways) and Andrew Ruck (Royals) both finished up with their respective clubs at the conclusion of the 2023 season and now their successors have been confirmed. The Lions have turned to a familiar face, appointing club legend and WA Football life member Darrell Panizza as their coach for next year. While the Tigers have opted for a player-coach role in premiership skipper Bodhi Stubber. Panizza was at the helm during the golden years between 1999 and 2014, which saw the club win eight premierships from 12 grand final appearances. Affectionately known as “Dollar”, Panizza served as the assistant coach to Ruck last season and is the Claremont games record holder. Panizza has an extensive coaching record, including being at the helm of WA country teams while more recently coaching the Great Southern Storm development team. He takes the reins after the Lions were knocked out in the preliminary final last season. Along with his assistant duties in the league team, Panizza coached the Lions colts to a fifth successive grand final win this year. Stubber served as a skipper under Bayliss for the past three seasons, when they made three grand finals — winning two flags. After last year’s grand final heartache against the Sharks, Stubber is poised to shoulder greater responsibilities with the big task of guiding his team as head coach for 2024. The former Claremont colt has previously coached the Tigers colts team. The pair are the latest to be officially confirmed by their clubs, with Albany announcing back in October that their first-ever premiership coach Jamie Ramm will go around again in 2024.