One of the Ballarat Football League's best players in the past decade is leaving the competition.
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Shane Hutchinson, the 2014 Henderson Medallist, is moving to Queensland to continue his school teaching career.
He signs off from the BFL after one year with Lake Wendouree, where he was playing assistant coach to Dale Power.
Power said it was disappointing to lose Hutchinson.
He said the veteran midfielder had played an important role with the Lakers' young list.
Hutchinson joins Bailey Edwards as major exits for Lake Wendouree.
One of the BFL's elite midfield runners, Edwards is returning to his hometown club Maryborough in the Bendigo league.
Hutchinson spent his early career with North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup under-18 competition, North Ballarat Roosters in the VFL and South Adelaide in the SANFL. He was a Rebels best and fairest.
He began his BFL career with East Point, taking on the role of assistant coach before moving to Warrack Eagles in the Wimmera league in 2009.
He returned to the BFL in 2010 after a knee reconstruction, joining Ballarat Swans as assistant coach.
Hutchinson went on to coach Ballarat twice - 2011-2012 and 2017-2018 - and win the Swans' best and fairest in 2015 and 2018.
Power said Bailey's move was lifestyle related, with him living in Maryborough and commuting to Bendigo for work.
He said while losing a player of Edwards' calibre was always difficult, his decision was understandable.
Power said the opportunity was now there for others to step into the role left vacant by the departure of Hutchinson and Edwards.
Edwards first ventured to Ballarat when he gained a spot on the Roosters' VFL list in 2016 after an eye-catching season with Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup - having Lake Wendouree as his home club.
He spent most of 2016 with Lakers before becoming a permanent member of the Roosters' line-up in 2017.
His ground speed made him one of the BFL's most potent on-ballers and arguably Lake Wendouree's most valuable player. Edwards won Lakers' 2018 best and fairest.
Lake Wendouree will also be without Northern Blues VFL-listed ruckman Arthur Armstrong next season, with the former Tatyoon tall travelling overseas.
Armstrong has been with Lakers since 2017, but missed most of this year with injury.