Darren “Jacko” Jackson Appointed Kilsyth Senior Men’s Coach for 2027

The Kilsyth Football Netball Club is thrilled to announce the appointment of club legend Darren “Jacko” Jackson as our Senior Men’s Head Coach for the 2027 EFNL season.

A true Cougar through and through, Jacko steps into the top job following the resignation of playing-coach Damian Murray. Bringing an unmatchable record as both a player and a leader, Jacko’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the club as we build toward sustained success in Division 4.

A Record of Proven Success

Jacko’s connection to Kilsyth runs deep:

• Club Life Member & Former Captain: 258 senior games, premiership player, and former club captain.

• Proven Coaching Pedigree: 8 seasons at development level yielding 8 finals series, 5 grand finals, and 4 premierships.

• Recent Successes: Led the Under-17s to a flag in 2023, secured back-to-back Under-19 premierships in 2024 and 2025, and served as Senior Assistant Coach across 2024 and 2025.

• Community & Junior Development: Long-time Kilsyth Junior Football Club committee member, ensuring strong links between our junior pathway and senior squad.

“I believe we’re on the verge of a successful era — outstanding facilities, our committee has worked hard to get us into a strong financial position, Auskick and juniors are flying, our under-17s won the flag, and our squad is really stable, young and talented. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.”

— Darren Jackson

The Vision for 2027 & Beyond

With 95% of our young core already re-signed, Jacko’s primary strategy is to nurture and empower our emerging local talent while driving performance across all three grades (Seniors, Reserves, and Under-19s).

To complement our talented young group, the club is active in the recruiting market for targeted additions:

• A key primary focus on securing a top-end ruckman.

• Strengthening our engine room with another quality midfielder.

• Adding versatile key-position players to complete the squad structure.

Join the Cougars in 2027: Player Enquiries & Recruiting

Whether you are an ambitious player looking for a strong, supportive club environment, or a key position talent wanting to join an exciting, rising squad in the EFNL, we want to hear from you.

• Senior Coach: Darren “Jacko” Jackson

• Phone: 0425 780 570

• Location: Pinks Reserve, Kilsyth VIC