By RUSSELL BENNETT
GARFIELD is the latest powerhouse club to throw its hat in the ring for a new coach after Ryan Hendy announced his resignation after his side’s 32-point elimination final loss to Neerim South on the weekend.
Hendy stepped down after two seasons at Beswick street – guiding the Stars to two finals campaigns and ultimately finishing with a win-loss record of 21 wins, 15 losses and a draw.
“I’ve sat with this for a month or two,” he said of his decision.
“It was just getting really hard to juggle everything. There were nights I didn’t get to see my kids at all before they went to bed. They’re too young to miss out on that.”
Hendy also said his spark to coach “maybe wasn’t as strong” as when he first took on the role in late 2013, but he was quick to praise Garfield as a club and everyone associated with it.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the place,” he said.
“There isn’t one person I’d have a bad word to say about there – I loved the playing group and everyone at the club.
“It’s a fantastic organisation, and a brilliant country club with a great junior base.”
At nearly 34 years of age, Hendy said his body was starting to tell him to take a step back. He insists he’s not sure where the next stop on his footy journey will be – and whether he’ll be a player-coach or not – but he encouraged anyone interested in coaching to apply for the Garfield role.
He said he’d become “friends for life” with the likes of Stars stalwarts Ben and Ned Marsh, and praised the tireless work of assistant Joel Morgan.
Hendy said the highlight of his tenure at Beswick Street was reaching the preliminary final in 2014 after a significant roster turnover. The Stars were less than a kick off making the grand final.
Hendy has dispelled the already wide-spread rumours that he’s signed on with former club Doveton for next season.
While he said a number of clubs from across the Ellinbank and District and South East football leagues had made contact with him to this point, Doveton isn’t one of them.
Garfield joins the likes of Cora Lynn, Nar Nar Goon, Kooweerup, Longwarry, Doveton and Hampton Park in taking applicants for their senior coaching positions. Nar Nar Goon is currently being led by caretaker coach Chris Jones.
