LEGENDARY VFL coach Gerard FitzGerald will not coach North Ballarat Roosters next year.
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The Roosters released a statement via social media on Monday night that the board would not extend the triple premiership coach’s contract, which ends this season.
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“This decision sends a message of change within the club for its next stage of development as it enters the VFL as a standalone team in 2016,” the statement read.
“The board continues to review the organisation's football structure to ensure that the club is well positioned for sustained success in the VFL. The board believes that these changes will be necessary to ensure that the club can be competitive in the ever evolving VFL landscape.”
FitzGerald has agreed to coach out the season.
The club’s statement declares it working on developing a plan to finalise its football structure and for the appointment of a new head coach.
North Ballarat board members will meet with AFL Victoria chief executive officer Steven Reaper and AFL Victoria state league operations manager John Hook in Ballarat on Tuesday afternoon – at the club’s request – for clarification on how best to structure the club for a standalone VFL team.
This meeting is part of an ongoing internal club review of all departments, including the football department. The Courier understands a board decision on FitzGerald’s future was made on Thursday night.
The Courier has made several attempts to contact North Ballarat chairman Jen Bromley without success. Contact with FitzGerald was also unsuccessful after the statement was released last night. North Ballarat will host a media briefing at Eureka Stadium on Tuesday morning.
FitzGerald led the club to a Victorian Football League premiership hat-trick that with the club’s inaugural VFL flag in 2008.
He has coached the Roosters in two stints – the first from 1997, the club’s second season in the league, and returning in 2007, in the early stages of an AFL partial alignment with North Melbourne.
The Roosters and Kangaroos will end their partnership at this season’s end.
FITZY ON THE EVE OF HIS RECORD BREAKING GAME. Footage: ABC.
VFL games coached: 337. Equalled Bill Faul’s 313 VFL/VFA coaching record in round five last year. Faull’s record stood for 56 years.
VFL state coach: 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010.
North Ballarat Roosters: 1997-2002; 2007-2015
Roosters VFL premierships: 2008-10; grand finalist 1999-2000. Fourth coach in VFL history to win three successive premierships.
Springvale: 2003
Port Melbourne: 2004 (grand finalist)
North Ballarat Rebels’ TAC Cup under-18s coach: 2005-06.
Other clubs coached include Sea Lake, Mortlake and Camperdown.
FITZGERALD’S CONTRACT NOT TO BE RENEWED
The North Ballarat Football Club Board announced today that it had decided that it will not renew the contract of head coach Gerard FitzGerald when the contract concludes at the end of this season.
This decision sends a message of change within the club for its next stage of development as it enters the VFL as a standalone team in 2016.
The board continues to review the organisation's football structure to ensure that the club is well positioned for sustained success in the VFL. The board believes that these changes will be necessary to ensure that the club can be competitive in the ever evolving VFL landscape.
FitzGerald has agreed to fulfil his obligations through to the end of the 2015 season.
Gerard FitzGerald has served the club for more than 15 years and has coached the VFL team to three premierships 2008, 09, 10 – two Grand Finals 1999 and 2000 and two Preliminary finals 1998 and 2007. FitzGerald currently holds the VFL coaching record of 337 games having coached in the VFL for 17 years. FitzGerald also coached the North Ballarat Rebels in 2005 and 2006 and four times coached the Victorian State team and was also selected as the coach of the year by AFL Victoria.
The club will now work on developing a plan to finalise its football structure and for the appointment of a new head coach.
The club will provide an opportunity for further comment at a media briefing at the club Tuesday 23rd June at 10am.
