Weekly Times | BRENDAN Fevola has announced that this season will be his last with Ovens and Murray side Yarrawonga.
The spearhead plans to return to Melbourne to be closer to his family.
Fevola joined the Pigeons in 2012, and he helped the Pigeons to back-to-back premierships in 2012-13 against Albury. This year he was named Yarrawonga co-coach alongside two-time premiership co-coach Drew Barnes.
Yarrawonga president Andrew Mott said Fevola had been splitting his time between Yarrawonga and his family in Melbourne, and told Mott several weeks ago he did not believe he would be able to coach next season.
Mott said at that point Fevola had not made a decision about playing.
Mott said there was “real disappointment” that Fevola was leaving the club, but wished him and his family all the best.
“He’s a super guy … he’s made such a positive contribution to, not just the footy club, but also the community and the Ovens and Murray league and I think a lot of the time that contribution may have been taken for granted,” Mott said.
Fevola has kicked 39 goals in 10 matches, but has not played for the Pigeons since June 27 against Lavington. He is expected to make a return from an ankle injury at the elimination final on September 6.
Yarrawonga will finish fifth this season, as the result of the Pigeons’ final regular season clash with another finalist, Wodonga Raiders, will not alter their ranking.
Earlier this year Fevola returned for his second stint as coach of the Ovens and Murray interleague side, after the league beat its Hampden counterpart last year, but the side was beaten by the visiting Peninsula team in May. Fevola resigned after the game.
Yarrawonga co-coach Barnes said Fevola had been fantastic for both the club and community.
“When we first recruited Brendan to the club there was a lot of doubters ... but from the day I first met him and the day he first walked in the door he really embraced the club and the community,” Barnes said.
“He’s been absolutely fantastic for both Yarrawonga as a town but also the club by bringing more interest and more people through the gate
“Through those circumstances he has to go back to Melbourne. I know he would love to stay up here if he could, but family’s number one and so it should be, so everyone completely understands that.”
Barnes is currently in talks with the club about his role next year, but Mott said Barnes would coach in some capacity.