Adelaide Footy League: Scotch Old Collegians coach Kym Cobb to leave club at end of 2021 season

A division two Adelaide Footy League coach has revealed he will step down at the end of the season – but first he will attempt to save the club from relegation.

An Adelaide Footy League premiership coach has revealed he will step down from the job – but not before attempting to save his side from relegation.

Scotch Old Collegians mentor Kym Cobb will depart the division two club at the end of this season after five years in charge of the Lions.

The former South Adelaide player, who led Scotch to the division three premiership in 2018, said he decided it was the right call to end his tenure.

“I’ve been at Scotch for five years and it’s been great,” Cobb said.

“We started having a couple of meetings about next year, which I sat in on.

Scotch Old Collegians coach Kym Cobb will step down at the end of the season after five years in charge. Picture: Dean Martin

“The last few years we’ve had some good kids come out of the school and we’ve got another good group coming next year.

“For me, I thought the timing was right after five years and I think the next coach probably needs to be around for two to three years to see that young group through.

“And I decided probably wasn’t going to be me.”

Cobb, who played 140 SANFL games with South Adelaide, joined Scotch in 2017.

He arrived after two seasons leading Henley in division one and was also the Panthers’ interim coach after Ron Fuller’s sacking in 2013.

Cobb’s decision came with Scotch in danger of relegation, sitting in eighth on the ladder and one win from safety.

Scotch Old Collegians’ Cooper De Zylva (left) and Hugo Walter (right) put Henley’s Sean Baker under the pump during the Lions’ win in round 12 – the first of a run of three straight. Picture: Dean Martin

But the Lions have turned their season around in the past month.

Prior to the Covid-enforced break, they had won their past three matches and were one the division’s in form teams.

Cobb said honest discussions driven by the leadership group at the halfway point of the season – plus the return of some key senior players – sparked the team back into gear in its bid to avoid the drop.

“Div two is a tight comp – there were a couple of games where we probably only played 10 minutes of bad footy and got hurt – you can’t afford to be off your game,” he said.

“We knew we were around the mark but let ourselves down in important parts of matches.

“The club, the boys and I all said ‘we want to stay up’ and from then on we’ve been super.

“The best part about it is everyone has jumped on and everyone is on the same page.”

Cobb and captain Lachlan Giles lift the trophy after Scotch defeated Seaton Ramblers to win the 2018 division three grand final. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette

Cobb said winning the division three grand final in 2018 and seeing the likes of Shane McAdam, Jy Farrar and Ash Johnson all progress from Scotch to the AFL were among his fondest memories at the club.

“You don’t realise how good some of those things are until you actually sit back afterwards,” he said.

“Scotch has been around for a long time and we’ve only had four A grade premierships, so to be a part of that is huge for me.”

Cobb said he had no plans to coach elsewhere but did not rule out returning in the future.

In the meantime he said he looked forward to focusing more time on family and work, as well as improving his golf game.