PRESCOTT RETURNS TO TIGERLAND

BY DAN SCAMOZZI 

A familiar face has returned to Tigerland, with the Claremont Football Club announcing the appointment of Ashley Prescott as League coach for the next three seasons.

Prescott brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, with the former Tiger involved at AFL and WAFL level for more than 25 years.

Recruited from the Mount Waverley Football Club, Prescott played 90 games for Richmond across six seasons between 1993 and 1998 before he entered the 1999 pre-season draft, where he was selected by Fremantle and went on to play a further 38 games before retiring from the AFL at the end of 2001.

Prescott coached the Claremont Colts in 2002 before playing 18 games for the Tigers in 2003 and coaching the League team from 2004-2007, as well as coaching Western Australia against Victoria in the 2007 State game. 

Prescott then spent 13 years in the AFL system in both assistant and development coaching roles at Essendon (2007-2010), Fremantle (2010-2013) and Gold Coast (2014-2020), before returning to Western Australia earlier this year after COVID-19 impacted the industry.

“It gave people all over the globe a punch in the face, but the Suns’ coaching group got really decimated once the COVID came in, with reduced football budgets etc.,” Prescott told 91.3 SportFM’s Sports Drive.

“It was disappointing in a way but from a family point of view, we always had ambitions to return back to Western Australia. We see this as our home, really.

“It (COVID-19) allowed us to get back to Western Australia a little bit earlier, which has been a real positive.”

Upon returning to Western Australia, Prescott realised how much he missed the coaching landscape.

“Essentially, coaching is really integral in who I am,” Prescott said.

“I love it so much. Remaining in coaching was something that I really wanted to do.

“(I) was really fortunate enough to receive a phone call from Claremont…wanting to have a chat, and things moved pretty quickly from there, which is really pleasing and I’m really honoured to accept the role.”

Prescott is clear in his views about how the game should be played.

“I think, fundamentally, the game has stayed the same for a lot of years,” Prescott said.

“That’s about having a strong work ethic and really outnumbering the opposition as best as you can.

“I’ve got pretty strong, ingrained views on the game and how I like teams to play.

“One thing coaches can do is overcomplicate it. I think being really simplistic and consistent with the message and what you’re trying to achieve is really, really important.

“At the end of the day, you want your players going out there and trusting their teammates and trusting what you train and really playing with instinct. They’re the sorts of things that I really focus on as a coach.”

Prescott is impressed with Claremont’s redeveloped facilities, and was warmed to see some familiar faces upon returning to the Club.

“Looking at the facilities…they’re fantastic,” Prescott said.

“(The facility) it’s maintained the real tradition and steel of the Football Club.

“(It’s) wonderful to go back into the Club and feel that history.

“Probably more importantly, seeing some familiar faces; you’ve got your “Monday Crew” – people that have been involved with this footy club for 50+years – just to see some of those faces again was really heart-warming.

“The Club, in the six years that I was really fortunate enough to spend there previously, became really, really important for not only myself but for my family.”

The Claremont Football Club is delighted to welcome Prescott back to Tigerland.