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RILEY STUART, South Western Times
December 14, 2012

au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/south...es-champion-magpies/

Coach leaves champion Magpies

The fashion of premiership coaches absconding from the SWFL has continued after Darian Cheffers revealed he would not continue at Busselton in 2013.

Cheffers, who led a major onfield revival in his two years in charge of the Magpies, is the third SWFL coach in as many seasons to pull the pin after winning a flag.

Last year, Augusta-Margaret River premiership coach Luke Norman resigned after the Hawks’ grand final triumph while in 2010, Heath Black masterminded Harvey- Brunswick-Leschenault’s upset grand final victory and then shocked the club by leaving.

Cheffers cited work and family commitments as his reasons for leaving the club.

After taking the reigns at Busselton in 2011, the three-time Donnybrook premiership player took the Magpies to the finals in his first season.

This season, he led them to their first grand final and premiership in 16 years.

“It’s been a big drain on my family,” Cheffers said.

“I’ve got two young boys starting to get into their own sports and they really need their dad around.

“I just haven’t been able to be there for them as much as I needed to be over the past couple of years.”

Cheffers said the Magpies were in a good position on and off the field and had a chance to create a dynasty in seasons to come.

He also predicted the club’s league squad would remain largely unchanged next year.

“The really exciting thing is the nursery we’ve developed and the great young kids that are coming through,” Cheffers said.

“Given the right coaching guidance over the next few years Busselton has really got the opportunity to put a strong era on the board.

“All they need now is a quality coach to take them in the right direction.”

Busselton president Kris Mears said finding a new coach was the top priority and interviews were due to start this week.

He said the club had big plans for the 2013 season.

“The Busselton Football Club had a mass exodus of players for the 2012 season but managed to recruit well and recover,” he said.

“There are no guarantees here with the playing group, but we are in a very good position to try for 2013 being the triple flag year — at least that is our aim.”

RACHEL CURRY, Yahoo!7

au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/south...ng-job-with-magpies/

Former Hawthorn draftee and Geraldton Rovers coach Greg Hodson has been named the man to take the Busselton Football Club to back-to-back league flags.

The search was on for the position after last year’s premiership coach, Darian Cheffers, stepped down to focus on family and work commitments.

Hodson, who comes to the Magpies with a long history in football, was first drafted to Hawthorn as a key position player in 1982.

He played for West Torrens in the SANFL and for East Fremantle in the WAFL, before going to coach the Geraldton-based Rover Football Club.

He was also a three-time Great Northern Football League Country Week coach, leading them to a championship in 2000.

BFC president Kris Meares said they were pleased to attract someone of Hodson’s calibre to the club.

Peter Snook will continue as assistant coach.

“We’re obviously disappointedDarian couldn’t continue coaching because of work commitments, and so was he, but we’re very happy to replace him with Greg,” he said.

“Greg Hodson comes with a huge wrap sheet from all over the country, really.”

With the Magpies starting pre-season training this week, Meares indicated Hodson would continue the game plan which was so successful last year under Cheffers.

This involved players running the lines, delivering the football fast and direct into the forward line and flooding back rapidly in defence.

“There will be some minor changes (from Hodson). At six foot eight I don’t think anyone’s going to argue with him,” Meares said.

The club has also announced Dominic Trombetta will take on his third year coaching the reserves, while Peter Plozza will coach the Colts for the first time.

Meares said they hoped Trombetta could lead the reserves to the flag they narrowly missed out on last year.

Plozza, meanwhile, was heavily involved in Colts coaching and management under Dave Whitehead last season and would continue their improvement.

Meares said it was too early to announce any player recruits but was confident the club’s local talent could take them far in 2013.

“We’ve got plenty of youth we’ve been developing over the last couple of years that can now shine,” he said.

“We’re aiming to claim the trifecta of premierships, as we do every year.”