Challis remains undecided about his playing future

22 Oct Challis remains undecided about his playing future

Outgoing Corio coach Andrew Challis says his decision to part ways with his GDFL club was the result of his work commitments in 2019.

The Melbourne based site manager, who was appointed as Corio’s coach while living in London last year, called time on his tenure at the club this evening only one season into a two year contract.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to make given how much time I’ve put into the club this past year,” Challis said.

“It all came down to work at the end of the day; my work was getting a bit more extensive so I didn’t have enough time to invest in the playing group next year.”

After stints at St Albans (GFL), Winchelsea, East Geelong (where he won the GDFL’s 2014 Whitley medal) and Darley, Challis ventured overseas in 2016 where he continued his football with the West London Wildcats.

There he helped guide the local side to a premiership while also taking out back to back AFL London league best and fairest awards.

However the outgoing Devils mentor did not wish to comment on where he would take his football in 2019.

“I haven’t even started thinking about playing yet; given I was still contracted for next year there’s uncertainty so the main focus individually is to keep myself fit,” Challis said.

“I have had a number of clubs ask if I was interested from time to time in recent weeks, one was even in the GDFL, but to be honest I haven’t even thought about it.”

“My focus was only on Corio and how this decision was to be executed in the right way with a replacement ready to go.”

“You hear about the return overseas sometimes but there hasn’t been much thought to that either; I’ll still be here as far as I know.”

“To be honest, I really want to continue down the coaching path but at the same time I think it’s fantastic that the club has appointed Darren Bennett.”

Challis was unable to secure a win as senior coach in 2018 as the wooden spooner finished the year with an average losing margin of 120 points.

But he urges fans to look back on the other aspects.

“We’ve come a long way with culture changes this year, we only had one tribunal hearing for the entire season and that involved myself ironically but I was acquitted in the end,” he added.

“As a coach it was a hard decision because I really wanted to stick around and help these guys establish themselves as senior footballers.”

“Todd Smith is a very underrated and I think if he was in a better club then he’d be a regular for the GDFL interleague side.”

“It’s not do diminish Corio when I say that, but when you play for a club that’s always beaten down by the outsiders then you don’t get as much recognition.”

“Toddy has a lot good footy ahead of him so he’s only going to get better.”

“Nick Flaccavento also shows a lot of leadership qualities and he’s going to drive the footy club forward, he’s a great defender and he’s really disciplined on the training track.”

“And you also have Chris Laurie, he’s getting older in his career but he gives the group advice and everything like that so it’s good he’s taken over the reserves.”

“Even guys like Jordy Campbell and Nathan Kerger are going to be absolute stars in the GDFL over the next couple of years as well as Mitch Grace and the like.”

(Click here for a look back at the Corio coaching saga)

By Alex Tigani
GDFL Media (22/10/2018)