Newlyn spearhead and former coach Marcus Darmody is leaving five years with the club.

He took on the senior coaching role last season, leading Newlyn back into the top eight and an elimination final appearance.

In a twist, his move comes after Newlyn secured former Western Bulldogs AFL-listed Kieran Collins from Tatyoon early in the off-season as an assistant coach.

Darmody told The Courier that pressures of business and other lifestyle changes, including the likelihood of travel, had been among factors leading to the shift.

The newly married Darmody said he would not have found it possible to meet the training demands required at Newlyn.

He said it would not have been right for him to take short cuts after last year emphasising to his players the importance of meeting the required training commitments.

Darmody said Tatyoon was more flexible, training only once a week and accepting that he would most likely only get to club sessions fortnightly.

A century goalkicker with Newlyn in 2019 after moving from North Ballarat City in the BFNL, the 32-year-old said he was getting close to the end of his playing career and felt the time was right for one last change of environment.

He is expecting a big season for the Hawks, with the club celebrating 100 years.

Darmody is originally from North Warrnambool in the Hampden league and forged links with Ballarat when he joined the North Ballarat Rebels under-18s in the TAC Cup in 2009 and then North Ballarat in the VFL.

He moved from North Ballarat City to Koroit in 2016 for two years and then back to City before going to Newlyn.

He struggled with injury last year.