By Tara Murray
Woodend-Hesket coach Tom Carland will finish up at the Riddell District Football League club at the end of the season.
The Hawks announced on Thursday night, that Carland won’t coach on next season after two years in charge.
Hawks president Paul Podbury and Carland said it was a mutual decision, with both parties wanting what was best for the club.
Carland said having not played finals in his time at the club was a big reason for the decision. The Hawks currently sit eighth with four wins.
“I don’t want to stay there and be stagnate,” he said.
“The club asked what I wanted to do. I didn’t achieve what we wanted to achieve in making finals.
“That makes it tough. Year on year you can have good off field success, but you need everything to work.
“You need to have on field success. The club is going in the right direction.”
Carland said there had been a lot of improvements at the club in his time there and things were looking good for the long term future of the club.
He said the culture had improved, there was ideas to help fundraise for the club in play and the senior and junior clubs had a better relationship than ever.
Podbury said the conversations between himself, football manager Dennis Barker and Carland had been pretty honest.
“Tom is very candid and direct to the point,” he said.
“He felt like finals was something he wanted to achieve in his first two years.
“He felt like he didn’t achieve that. You could go into a third year and take improvement, or get someone else in to take the next step.”
Podbury said there had been numerous reasons why the club had been able to make the step into the top six this year. He said they had been playing their best football in recent weeks.
Podbury said Carland had helped the club make massive improvements off field and left the club in a better place.
“On field we are better set up,” he said. “In 2018 and 2019 we’ve played a lot of kids.
“He has brought good leaders into the club and we’re confident most are staying at the club.
“He has helped out with the juniors and run a veterans day and got people on the committee.
“The has gone over and above his role. Hopefully with the pressure off, he can enjoy the last five weeks.”
Carland said he was unsure what his football future holds after this season, though he won’t be at the Hawks.
“It’s to early to tell,” he said.
“All my conversations have been with Woodend and around my future here. There’s five weeks of football left and I want to help with the transition and make it as smooth as possible.
“Hopefully the next coach will keep up the standards and get where the club wants to be.
“Once that is done, I’ll sit down and assess.”
Carland said on field they were looking to take a scalp on the run home.
They face Macedon this week, while still have to play Romsey, Diggers Rest and Wallan.
Woodend-Hesket are set to advertise the coaching role next week.
