Sebastopol star midfielder Luke Kiel is preparing for his Northern Territory Football League debut season.
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Kiel leaves next Monday to play with the Southern Districts Crocs in the NTFL premier division.
He is joining the club with former North Ballarat Roosters VFL teammate and Hawthorn rookie Andrew Boseley in the venture.
Kiel said he had been approached by NTFL clubs for "five or six" years and never taken up an offer.
He said with him having had the winter off this year the timing was right to give it a go.
"I'm feeling good and not getting any younger."
His girlfriend has also managed to secure employment in Darwin.
Kiel said the extended break from the game had been timely after not finishing the 2019 in the best of shape physically.
He suffered an extended rib injury in the second half of the season and then missed a semi-final after being hospitalised with what a likened to a stress-related illness.
Kiel returned for the preliminary and grand finals, but acknowledged he was not at his best physically.
His time in Darwin will correspond with Sebastopol's pre-season, with him returning to the Burra for next season.
The NTFL season begins on Saturday, October 3.
Nathan Horbury and Callum Currie have been other Ballarat Football League and former North Ballarat Roosters player to send time with the Crocs.
Kiel has had just the one season on the field with Sebastopol, moving to Marty Busch Reserve to join former Roosters teammates.Tony Lockyer, Lachie Cassidy, Matt Austin, James Keeble and Nick Hausler.
He joined the Burra after one season Geelong in the VFL.
He had a huge role in Sebastopol playing finals and reaching the grand final, being named in the BFL team of the year.
NORTH Ballarat City is planning to name its new senior coach within the next two weeks.
City president Leon Jones said there had been plenty of interest in the job and the club was now working through the applications and selection process.
North has to fill the vacancy left by the departure of non-playing coach Shane Skontra, who had three years at the Northern Oval.
Skontra decided to take a break after leading City to finals in 2018, but missing out in 2019.
Applications closed at the end of August.
North Ballarat is the only BFL club still to finalise its senior coaching position.
All other clubs have re-appointed coaches.
