NORTHERN Knights Senior Coach Marco Bello has been appointed as the new Senior Coach of the Club’s VFL affiliate, Box Hill Hawks.

The appointment comes after the departure of 2013 premiership coach Damian Carroll, who has moved into the position of Head Coach of Hawthorn’s Development Academy.

Bello’s Northern Knights reached the Semi Final in the TAC Cup this year but were beaten by eventual premiers, Eastern Ranges.

He played three seasons with Box Hill as a playing assistant coach from 2008-2010 before becoming Senior Coach of Box Hill’s Development side in 2011 where he also worked with Hawthorn’s development coaches.

He held that position for two years and coached the side to successive Grand Final appearances in which the team won the premiership in 2011.

The new Box Hill Coach has a wealth of football experience that stems from nine years as a player for Central District in the SANFL between 1999-2005. In his time at the club he played in six Grand Finals and won five premierships.

He won the best and fairest in his first year, 1999, and again in his final season, in 2005. He was also runner-up on three occasions and was a State representative in 2001 and 2002.

Head of Coaching and Development and interim General Manager – Football Operations, Chirs Fagan said Bello has worked hard to develop his coaching skills over the past few years.

“Marco has completed some part-time work with Hawthorn and we were very keen to promote someone of his great character and strong work ethic,” he said.