The Courier | ROB Waters’ reign at North Ballarat City is over.
The veteran coach told the club on Wednesday he would step down from the role he had made his own since 2010, ending the longest-serving current coaching streak in the Ballarat Football League.
The dual premiership coach said Saturday’s heavy grand final loss against Darley made it tough to walk away, admitting he was “embarrassed” to remember that game as his last at the helm.
“It was a bloody hard call and the result on the weekend made it even tougher,” he told The Courier.
“As a coach I was embarrassed with our performance, you don’t want to leave on that note.
“That said, I didn’t want to hang around for another year because of just that game and stay one year too long.”
Waters’ five-year reign at Eureka Stadium will be remembered as one that oversaw North City becoming the powerhouse it is today.
He came to the club in 2010 when the Northies were still struggling to find their feet in the BFL.
They won just four games in his debut season at the helm, but it wasn’t long until he hauled them up the ladder. In 2011 North City shocked many to reach the preliminary final, but their days of domination were yet to begin. Waters took them to the preliminary final again in 2012, before back-to-back premierships in 2013 and 2014.
They threatened to make it an historic three-peat this year, only to be dominated by Darley in the grand final.
Waters said he would have pulled the pin regardless of Saturday’s result, but admitted the 61-point defeat would leave somewhat of a sour taste in his mouth.
“It was pretty tough to cop on the weekend, they say you’re only as good as your last game,” he said.
As for the future, Waters said he hoped to remain at Eureka Stadium in some capacity. However, he has poured cold water on any speculation he is the new North Ballarat Roosters’ coach.
“I can definitely say I’m not the Roosters coach, you can rule a line through that one,” he said.
“I’d love to stay around the club whether it is with the Rebels in some capacity or even still helping out North City.
“I love the club and it’s been a fantastic ride with the boys.”
North City football manager Stephen Darbin, who was club president when Waters joined, said the club could not have asked for a better coach.
“He came to our club when we were at a low ebb,” Darbin said.
“He had an immediate impact as soon as he came in. We were an average club both on and off the field but he changed the culture.
“He’s going to leave not just a big hole but a significant legacy at the club.”
The question now for North City: who is going to fill the large shoes left by the dual premiership coach?
Darbin said there were a few candidates the club was investigating, but it was in no position to make an immediate decision.
The position is yet to be fully advertised and Darbin said it was undecided if that path would need to be taken.
“It would be great if Robbie could stay on in some capacity, he tells us he is keen to and we would love to have him around,” he said.
“We will just have to sort a few other things out before we can make calls regarding that.”
Waters’ coaching stint was the longest in the BFL since John Northey at Ballarat from 2006-2012.