The pair know plenty about each other, with Luci having coached O’Kane in junior football and supporting the Lions. They’ve had chats about the roles and the way forward for Wahgunyah.
Generally, the 38-year-old non-playing coach Luci will deliver the talk to players before and during the quarter breaks whilst O’Kane will be the on-field leader.
“You’ve got two perspectives. John will be off-field perspective and mine on-field perspective,” 22-year-old former Tungamah and Jerilderie player O’Kane explained to The Free Press.
“We understand it’s been tough and it’s still going to be a long road but as a club we are on the same page. We’re taking small steps - small steps are positive.”
Luci’s playing career spanned some 150 games with Strathmerton, Tocumwal and Billabong Crows, and he coached junior football for eight years where O’Kane was coached by Luci in 2017 and 2018 at Strathmerton Thirds, sharing a premiership together.
Both coaches acknowledge the young, improving talent at Wahgunyah from this season and believe these players, especially those around the 19 and 20-year-mark, will further improve and impress in 2025, particularly with some older bodies, existing or new, in mind.
Luci lives in Corowa and is a sports commentator calling Hume league games for All in Sports. He went to Wahgunyah’s training on most nights this year. Luci is right up-to-date with today’s football styles, is keen to join his former young pupil and is highly regarded with the words ‘footy brain’ mentioned by many in the Lions den.
Both Wahgunyah’s coaches love the club, citing “very good facilities (both football and netball), very good volunteers and everyone being so welcoming”.
Luci, a painter by trade, and O’Kane, a fitter and machinist at Thales Australia based at Mulwala, are already working towards continued improvement on the footy oval.
Wahgunyah Football Netball Club President Luke Hawking expressed his satisfaction at the dual coaching situation, describing O’Kane as “a good quality player” and Luci possessing “a good footy brain”.
“The results in recent times may not be impressive but we are improving and we aim to be very competitive,” the first full-time year president said.
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