BFNL 2023: Melton South preview

The pair step into the role following the departure of Heath Pritchard, with the Panthers winning just one of their past 58 games ahead of this season.

Hoy and Hamilton previously worked together at St Kilda City and look to begin a new era at South.

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Hoy said his time at St Kilda City, in which he coached AFL legends Dane Swan and Brendan Fevola was "good but tough."

"I was president, assistant coach and then my brother walked away from the head coaching role in round 10 as well so it was a busy time but it was fun," Hoy said.

"It was a great privilege to coach those boys, it was a very diverse club."

Hoy has brought across six players from St Kilda City to Melton South as the club looks to rebuild.

The new coaches have kept it simple when addressing their players.

Hoy said they had told the players it was their club and they have the opportunity to choose what direction they want to take the club over the next five years.

"We know we're coming from a long way back, it is out with the old, in with the new," Hoy said.

"The last six or seven years Melton South has been targeting older players who haven't been training, the leaders have said they just want a playing group that will train and share the same vision.

"I think we've got everyone on the same page this year it's just about setting the foundation for the next two to three years."

Two big-name recruits could be game-changers for the Panthers in 2023.

Tevita Hallett-Tauali'I and Tyrell Lafituanai join the club from St Kilda City, at which the young Samoan New Zealander stars were catching plenty of attention.

"The Islander boys bring a whole different intensity to football clubs," Hoy said.

"Some footy clubs can't handle it and some clubs embrace it.

"I'm a big believer of multiculturalism in football and I believe there's a lot of untapped talent within the Samoan and the Islander communties.

"I feel like over the next three or four years the Islanders will make their stamp on the AFL."

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Over the pre-season, Hoy said he had been impressed by his new side's form.

"We looked very good against Glenroy, the boys actually took me by surprise with their performance," he said.

"We learnt a lot of lessons from our match-up with Pascoe Vale, we won the second and third quarters but our slow start cost us.

"We took more positives out of the loss than negatives."

One of the players who Hoy loved watching over the pre-season fixtures was the son of the Panthers former coach, Lachlan Pritchard.

Hoy said he had "no idea" how he wasn't a part of the Western Jets Talent League squad.

"He's an out and out star," Hoy said.

"He was in our top five players against Pascoe Vale and he's only 16 years old."

The derby kicks off Melton South's season.

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