GFNL club Geelong West has appointed former Leopold assistant Chris Browne as its new coach.
Browne, who has signed a three-year deal, worked under Garry Hocking at Memorial Park in 2022 and 2023 – the latter a premiership year for the Lions.
He replaces Greg Mellor, who stepped down at the end of the season after eight years in charge.
After a year away from coaching, Browne spent 2025 as a senior assistant coach with VAFA Premier club Uni Blacks, who missed this year’s finals by a game.
He played school football with Salesian College and in the VAFA with De La Salle, captaining the club.
Browne also played in the Talent League with Oakleigh Chargers.
Before joining Leopold, he was an under-18s coach at St Joseph’s.
“…giving him a strong understanding of the management required for our current playing group and the development pathways required to nurture emerging talent,” Giants executive committee chair Scott Meddings said
“His coaching style is structured, process-driven, and underpinned by meticulous attention to detail—qualities that align perfectly with our club’s vision for sustained success.
“Beyond football, Chris is a respected figure in the financial business community, known for his professionalism and leadership.
“We believe his appointment marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the Giants, and we are confident that under his guidance, our young group will thrive.”
Browne is the third former assistant of Hocking’s to land a senior coaching role in the past 12 months, joining Rick Munn (St Albans) and Sam Scott (Portarlington).
Geelong West hasn’t played senior finals since rebranding as the Giants in 2016.
As Geelong West-St Peter’s, the club’s only top-five finish since the turn of the century came in 2008.
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