The Hampton Rovers Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Carrigan as new Senior Coach for the 2026 VAFA season.
Carrigan is a familiar name to members of the club, having been involved at both junior and senior level of many years, most recently as under 19 coach which included the division 1 premiership two years ago.
The Rovers will return to Premier C of the VAFA in 2026 after a tough season in a strong Premier B competition in which the playing group learned plenty.
Joining the coaching panel next season will be Ryan Fogarty as senior assistant coach and Christian Carnovale as playing-assistant coach, while Michael Flahive will remain on the coaching team, adding strong leadership and technical knowledge having served the Rovers for many years.
The club welcomes back Fogarty after a year away. He played a crucial role in the 2024 finals campaign, is a great level-headed leader, has a strong understanding of the game and excellent communication methods the players value. Carny is all in as senior captain and will step up onto the coaching panel as someone our young group look to and his positive outlook is vital to our members.
Following his appointment, Carrigan said, “We are a great community club, one that opens its doors to everyone. I am proud of our club and its care for all cultures & what it offers our community and membership base.”
“I was happy just to be encouraged to apply to be honest, it has been 21 years since I last coached seniors at Ashwood in the SFNL. Coaching for 36 years is a way of life, I am fortunate my wife and family understand the passion I have for the sport and local competition.”
Carrigan coached the VAFA under 19 representative teams in 2024 and 2025 alongside Oscar Roberts and Nick Jackson, including this year’s Big V win in Bendigo, while he has many years of interleague, Oakleigh Chargers, Sandringham Dragons and St Kilda Next Generation experience.
Paul’s journey at the Rovers began running the Auskick program back in 2009 and has guided many teams and mentored several young coaches, with several of those Auskick players now in the senior group.
He has gone full circle at club. Working alongside many great community people along the way with a common goal is something that is always rewarding for Paul, playing a lead role in bringing the East Sandringham Zebras and Hampton Rovers together from U15-17 & sharing Girls teams was a highlight for Paul in 2014-15. A move both clubs have benefited from.
Carrigan was awarded Life Membership of the Hampton Rovers in 2021 and is also a Life Membership at Doncaster East and Beverley Hills Junior clubs.
“I was fortunate enough growing up in the eastern suburbs to understand what it takes to build strong culture. Clubs like Doncaster East and Vermont have built that from the ground up promoting junior talent always.
“We have many young players that are home grown product and have tasted success in our U19’s last year and have shown strides forward under Marty Pask over the past two seasons.”
The Rovers continue to have a strong junior program and the connection between the juniors and seniors is as healthy as it’s ever been, with the older age groups particularly coached by great young coaches and showing multiple layers of top tier talent.
The pathway, alongside the current quality young senior playing list bodes well for the future of the club as it enters the 2026 campaign.
Reaching out to past players and leaning on his connections across Bayside, Carrigan feels the Rovers will bounce back in 2026. The list was decimated by injuries and unavailability this year, with 11 debutants promoted from the U19s to Premier B football.
“We will go back to Premier C and grow, enjoy the process, continue to develop the next generation of leaders, play with passion and flair & respect our community that we are very fortunate to live in” Paul concluded.
Further coaching appointments will be announced in the near future, while 2026 pre-season training details will be released in due course.
The 2025 Hampton Rovers Senior Presentation Night will be held this Friday evening at Sandy by the Bay in Sandringham. Limited tickets are available here.
