Contax is excited to announce our Premier League and Reserves coaching structure for 2027, with Leanne Eichler and Darren Saul to Co-Coach Premier League, while Lani Millar will step into the role of Reserves Head Coach.
The new structure sees Darren move from Reserves to join Leanne at the helm of Premier League, while Lani brings her extensive experience in player development, coach development and representative pathways to the Reserves program.
Darren’s move follows an outstanding period as Head Coach of our Reserves, culminating in back-to-back premierships in 2025 and 2026. During his time with the group, he has played an important role in developing players through the Contax pathway and preparing them to make the step into Premier League.
His coaching achievements in 2026 extended well beyond Contax.
At the National Netball Championships, Darren led the South Australian 17U team to gold, with five Contax players — Bella Agars, Elise Flood, Ava Mackenzie, Alice Page and Leni Geister — all part of the championship winning team.
His year also included a return to the Australian Kelpies, this time from the coaches’ bench. Darren was appointed Assistant Coach for the international series against South Africa and will again be part of the coaching group for the New Zealand Test Series in October.
The appointment continues a connection with the Australian men’s program stretching back more than 30 years. Darren represented South Australia at Open level from 1993 to 1996 before earning Australian selection in 1995, making his return to the national program as a coach particularly significant.
There was further success at Westminster School, where Darren coached the Premier League squad to both the IGSSA Premiership and State Knockout Premiership in 2026.
Darren will now bring that experience to Premier League alongside Leanne, who enters 2027 following another outstanding season of her own. Leanne coached Contax to its fourth consecutive Premier League premiership in 2026, extending the Club’s remarkable run to 12 consecutive Premier League Grand Final appearances.
Leanne said Darren’s move into Premier League was an exciting next step for the Club.
“Darren brings a wealth of experience, a strong understanding of our players and pathway, and a fresh perspective that will help us continue to evolve at the highest level.
“Working as co-coaches also gives us the opportunity to provide even more individualised coaching, feedback and analysis, while bringing different strengths and perspectives to the program.
“After such a successful year for our Premier League and Reserves teams, I’m really looking forward to working alongside Darren in 2027 and seeing what we can achieve together.”
As Darren makes the move to Premier League, Lani Millar will take over as Head Coach of our Reserves.
Lani is no stranger to Contax or our coaching program. A long time Contax coach and Coaching Director, she has played an important role in developing both players and coaches throughout the Club. Her experience across club, school and representative programs has given her a strong understanding of the pathway from junior development through to high-performance netball.
Lani has also built considerable experience within South Australia’s representative pathway. She again led the South Australian 15U Girls team at the 2026 School Sport Australia Championships in Melbourne, with Contax players Georgia Davison, Clarrie Hunter and Patience Reiter selected in the team and fellow Blue Julia Woolley working alongside her as Assistant Coach.
Her development within the high-performance coaching pathway will continue in 2027, with Lani appointed as an Apprentice Coach with the South Australian 17U State Team, working within a program that will be led by Darren as Head Coach.
Leanne said Lani’s long-standing contribution to Contax and her ability to develop players made her a natural fit for the Reserves program.
“Elevating Lani into our Reserves program was an easy decision given her long-standing commitment to our Club, our coaches and our players.
“She brings a new voice, a strong understanding of our pathway and a real ability to bring a team together and get the best out of individual players.
“I’m really excited to see what Lani can bring to our young Reserves group in 2027 and look forward to working closely with her to build a strong and connected squad.”
For Contax President Lee-Anne Petherick, the appointments represent an important evolution of the Club’s coaching pathway and its continued focus on developing highperformance players and coaches.
“We’re incredibly proud and excited about the continued evolution of our coaching pathway at Contax. Having Leanne, Darren and Lani leading our Premier League and Reserves programs gives us a strong and experienced coaching group that understands our Club, our players and the pathway we want to provide.
“These appointments continue to strengthen the connection between our Reserves and Premier League programs and support our commitment to developing our high-performance athletes and providing them with opportunities to progress through the Contax pathway.”
With Leanne and Darren leading Premier League and Lani taking the reins of Reserves, Contax heads into 2027 with an experienced coaching team across the top end of our pathway.
After an incredible 2026 for both teams, we’re looking forward to seeing what this coaching combination can bring to the Blues in 2027.
