TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE

TIGERS NEWS October 2006

Armstrong enters sixth term as Tigers Coach

After a complete review of the Tigers Organisation, Club Chairman of Football Bob Gibbs has announced the re appointment of Mark Armstrong as the Tigers Coach for 2007.

Armstrong enters his sixth term as Coach of the Tigers having successfully guided them into three consecutive Grand Finals from 2002 to 2004 and then into fourth position in 2005. Unfortunately, the senior grade team lost ground in 2006, missing the finals for the first time in 25 years, however with the success of the Clubs Reserve Grade team (Grand Finalists), the Under 8 Grade team (1st Semi Finalists), and with the recent announcement of former Sydeney Swans player Mark Powell joining the Club, Gibbs felt the Club was in "strongarms" with the reappointment of its Senior Grade Coach since 2001.

More affectionately known as "Merv", he takes on an expanded role within the organisation as its Director of Coaching overseeing the development of players progressing through the Under 16 and Under 18 grade teams along with the necessary appointments in the lower grades to achieve the Clubs plan of finals participation in each of the three grades in 2007.

Specialist Coach Terry Wheeler - with his vast AFL Club experience - conducted the review of all structures within the organisation with tremendous feedback from the current playing list and coaching staff resulting in a number of recommendations to be implemented for next season.

Merv becomes the second longest consecutive appointed Coach behind the Tigers absolute legendary Coach Brian Quade who's ten consecutive years between the periods of 1984 to 1993 resulted in nine consecutive grand finals for four premierships.

Floyd Primmer and Mac Gibbs also coached the Tigers on six occasions but not consecutively with Primmer being responsible for the triple premiership success of 1939, 1940 and 1941 in addition to Coach of the 1952 Grand Final Queanbeyan / Acton combination.

Mark Armstrong's record with the Tigers reads as follows:

• Age 30

• Recruited from East Wagga in 1993

• 1st Grade games played 249. Reserve Grade games played nil.

• Captain 2000 - 2001

• Coach 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 , now 2007

• AFL Canberra representative - 24 occasions

• Selected in the All Australian Country Representative team - 1998

• Queanbeyan First Grade Best and Fairest: 1996, 1998 and 2003

• Inducted into Tigers Wall of Fame - gained Life Membership - 2004

• Premiership Player - 1998, 1999, 2000. Grand Finalist 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2004

• Named in AFL Canberra Team of the Year - 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 (Captain), 2003 (Captain), 2004 (Captain), 2005 (Captain), 2006

• Named in AFL ACT Legends Team - 1999 (Only player named that was still playing at the time of announcement)