Reigning premiership coach Matt James is going nowhere.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Waubra has locked away the non-playing leader for the next two years as it strives to remain atop the Central Highlands Football League.
James has been a popular figure since taking over at the helm and guided the senior team to a premiership in 2019.
The contract extension will take James through until the end of season 2022.
Waubra president Simon Tol said the decision to keep James in the position was a "no-brainer".
"The culture and everything that he is bringing to the club and developing is just second to none," Tol said.
"Player retention and stability in the current times and being a reigning premiership coach why wouldn't you give him another run?
"You are more likely to keep guys involved and that sort of thing with your current coach. And he's done nothing wrong, he's done everything right."
The former Redan footballer, who joined Waubra ahead of its 2015 campaign, moved into coaching after a host of serious injuries hampered his playing career. James spent two seasons as the under-18 coach of the Roos before taking on a senior assistant role to Grant Luscombe. He then took over the top job outright in 2018.
James has enjoyed a sensational run since being in charge, reaching a preliminary final in his first season as coach and then winning the grand final against Hepburn at Mars Stadium last year.
Tol said James had the support of not only the players, but the Waubra community.
"What he's done this year is just unbelievable," Tol said.
"When we had that situation where we were going to play, just keeping the players focused on what we were doing. And then when we didn't get the senior competition going, he jumped wholeheartedly into the juniors.
"I can't speak more highly of him."
James, who works as a high school teacher, said he was really excited to commit for two more seasons.
"The club is placed really well to chase more success now we all have had a taste," he said.
Waubra was one of the few Central Highlands Football League clubs that had committed to fielding a senior team in 2020. Tol even asked the league's board to consider the Roos nominating two teams to help boost numbers and allow a season to get up and running.
But after much discussion, the CHFL eventually abandoned the seniors and reserves competitions.
The league managed to get four rounds of under-18, under-15 and under-12 games completed before stage three COVID-19 restrictions signaled the end of the junior campaign.
No Central Highlands league netball was played at all this year.
