Blues appoint Daniher and Dempsey

The Carlton Football Club today announced the appointment of two part-time coaches, Terry Daniher and Gary Dempsey, strengthening the Club’s Football department.

Terry Daniher has been appointed as a part-time assistant/development coach, while Gary Dempsey has been appointed as a specialist ruck coach. Terry and Gary join Barry Mitchell, (who is also the coach of the Northern Bullants, Carlton's aligned team in the VFL), Tony Liberatore and Tony Elshaug as assistant coaches under Denis Pagan for the 2006 season.

"We are pleased to announce that Terry Daniher and Gary Dempsey will join our coaching panel in 2006. A review of the Football Department following the season highlighted, among a number of issues, the need to increase our coaching team, particularly given the required fast track development of a very young list of players. We had the least number of coaches in the AFL, and we believe it is important to add to the knowledge already on our coaching panel and both Terry and Gary will assist in the development of our playing list,” Carlton CEO Michael Malouf said.

Daniher played 313 games for South Melbourne (19) and Essendon (294) between 1976 and 1992, captaining the Bombers for 127 games including the 1984 and 1985 flags. Daniher also Captained Victoria and Australia, and was named on a halfforward flank in Essendon’s Team of the Century. Daniher joins Carlton after spending the previous two years with St Kilda. Terry was an assistant coach at Collingwood in 2002 and 2003 and prior to that spent four years as the Bombers’ VFL coach.

"I am looking forward to being a part of the Carlton coaching team and working with Tony Liberatore, Tony Elshaug and Barry Mitchell under Denis Pagan. I’ve known Denis for a long time and it is a great opportunity to become involved with such a great club. With more young talent coming to the Club in the upcoming National Draft, it is a great time to be involved with the development of so many young players,” said Daniher.

Dempsey played 329 games for Footscray (207) and North Melbourne (122). He won the 1975 Brownlow Medal and won an incredible seven Best & Fairest Award’s, winning six at Footscray as well as one at North Melbourne. Dempsey has previously worked as a specialist ruck coach at the Bulldogs and Hawthorn.

“I am really looking forward to joining Carlton in a specific role as the ruck coach, this is a great opportunity to work with the developing big young players such as Chris Bryan, Adrian Deluca and Setanta O’hAilpin, as well as with an established ruckman such as Barnaby French,” Gary Dempsey said.

Carlton Coach Denis Pagan was delighted to have Terry and Gary joining the Carlton Football Club in 2006.

“Terry and Gary will be great additions to our coaching panel in 2006. We identified two important areas that we believe will add greatly to our coaching group at Carlton, a specific ruck coach and a key position coach and we have appointed two outstanding people in these roles. We have a very young list at Carlton and both Terry and Gary will play an important role in the development or our playing group.”