One of Carngham-Linton’s key signings for season 2017 says he is hopeful of lifting the Central Highlands Football League battlers up the table.
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Matt Coutts has joined the Saints from Mid Gippsland league outfit Boolarra, where he booted 38 goals in 2016.
The 199cm ruckman/forward moved to Ballarat in December to pursue his career as a golf professional and a stroke of luck saw him agree to terms with Carngham-Linton.
Coutts will serve as an assistant to new senior coach Matt Beaston, who has taken over at the helm from Aaron Braeckmans.
Beaston has returned to the club as its leader from Royal Park.
The 23-year-old Coutts said he was contacted by Saints president Sam Richardson after talking about football with a couple of young Carngham-Linton players who he met at the Ballarat Golf Club.
Coutts said he was drawn to the club by its family-friendly values and the challenge it faced in attempting to climb up the senior ladder.
“I don’t like seeing that they are struggling and the way Matty spoke to me, he just wants to build the club back up to where it was,” he said.
Coutts said given his traineeship at the Ballarat Golf Club – under head professional David Wallis – is a three-year term, he wants to use that time to lift the struggling Saints.
He said while golf is his priority, he is keen to play every game throughout the season.
Coutts headed to training for the first time on Monday evening, where he met the playing group.
He joins a Carngham-Linton side that went winless throughout 2016 and claimed just two victories the season before.
The Saints will open their 2017 campaign with a home encounter against Creswick on Saturday, April 1.
They then make an away trip to take on reigning back-to-back premiers Springbank in round two.