Home

Experienced Ramm steps up as interim Sharks coach

Headshot of Cameron Newbold
Cameron NewboldAlbany Advertiser
Jamie Ramm pictured in Katanning colours in 2012.
Camera IconJamie Ramm pictured in Katanning colours in 2012. Credit: Brian Oliver

Experienced country footballer and former Peel Thunder player Jamie Ramm has taken the reins of the Albany Sharks league side after Stewart MacTaggart stepped down from the head coaching role, which he accepted in December last year.

The Sharks were on the hunt for a new coach at the end of last season, in which they won one game under Kim Mayfield, and they promoted MacTaggart from the reserves to take the reins in the 2020 Great Southern Football League campaign.

Last Thursday, the Sharks confirmed the change with MacTaggart stepping away because of personal reasons.

Ramm, pictured, was announced as the immediate replacement but only in an interim capacity as the Sharks search for a full-time league coach ahead of the GSFL season, which starts in April. The Sharks last week named a new-look five-person football department last week, amid their most tumultuous off-season in history.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Ramm, who comes with previous league coaching experience at Katanning Wanderers, was part of the Sharks football department along with Rogan Coffey, Matt Taylor, Murray Anning and Michael O’Dea.

Sharks president Cameron Bergsma said the club had made all four men’s coaching positions officially vacant despite naming coaches for colts and sixteens last December. “We are already under way with the search for our next league coach and all our coaching positions are officially vacant,” Bergsma said.

“The new football department are taking applications.

“We want to maximise their capacity; they have a lot more resources and contacts, so we’d be mad not to try and use them to get the best possible candidates.

“We’ve spoken to all of our coaches that were appointed and the response we got from them was good; they have all said they were here in the best interests of the club.”

In a statement emailed to their players and supporters last week, Bergsma said MacTaggart was hoping to return to the club in some capacity later in the year.

“We trust you will respect the privacy of the MacTaggarts during this time, and continue to support the Albany Sharks Football Club in any way possible,” the statement read.

Ramm played league football for Peel in 1997 and also spent time playing for Kent Districts in the Ongerup Football Association.

A decorated player, Ramm won the Bud Byfield medal as the best-and-fairest player in B-section of the Landmark Country Football Championships in 2000 and was an All-Star at the championships in 2000 and 2005.

He took Sharks training for the first time last Thursday night where he addressed the senior playing group.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails