Bendigo: Golden Square “parts ways” with premiership coach Christian Carter

Ousted premiership coach Christian Carter has spoken about the bombshell move, with his grand final coaching adversary speaking in support. See what he’s said.

Golden Square premiership coach Christian Carter is “deeply saddened” by the club’s brutal call to dump him less than a month since winning the Bendigo league flag.

He has been replaced by the club’s reserves coach, Brad Eaton, while his grand final coaching adversary, Sandhurst’s Bryce Curnow, hopes he will coach again.

Carter led Golden Square to its first flag in a decade after previously being a premiership player and captaining the club to the 2009 flag.

“I’m deeply saddened to be sacked by the club after securing the senior premiership this year,’’ he said.

“I’m especially disappointed with the fact (the club) were unable to give me any feedback on why the decision was made.

“In saying all that, I respect the club’s decision and wish them all the best in the future.”

Curnow said it would be “a huge loss to the coaching fraternity if someone as experienced as (Carter) was lost to the game”.

Golden Square celebrates its thrilling win over Sandhurst in the Bendigo league grand final at the QEO. Picture: SAA Imaging

“Coaching in 2023 is a bloody big job and to have won a premiership and to be sacked two weeks later, it just sounded very stiff to me,” Curnow said.

“I don’t know how I’d act if it was me, knowing the effort they take to win.

“If you look at the Bendigo league coaching changes over the last year, there are eight clubs out of 10 with new coaches.

“I’d be doing everything possible as a club to keep continuity and stability within the leadership at any club.”

Club president Ian Symons said: “Following a season-end review of the football operations and the need to bring new skill sets into the role to improve how we develop our younger players, the club has made the difficult decision to part ways with our senior coach Christian Carter”.

Outgoing Golden Square premiership coach Christian Carter. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The average age of the Golden Square premiership team was 24.

One former teammate of Carter posted to the club’s Facebook page: “I find it hard to understand how the club can treat a Hall of Famer, life member, premiership captain and now coach who was on a 16-game winning streak so poorly”.

Golden Square flagged that a call on Carter staying on for a fourth season in charge was in doubt when it called for expressions of interest in his role and others at the club a week ago.

Carter’s brother Nick is a multiple premiership player and coach at Golden Square.

Its thrilling six-point win over Sandhurst in the grand final followed a preliminary final finish last year.

Brad Eaton coaching Irymple in 2014. Picture: Glenn Milne

Before the shock call on Carter, six-time Golden Square premiership player and captain this season Jack Geary had been appointed coach of Cohuna Kangas and another premiership player Hamish Morcom had been appointed coach of Huntly.

Veteran ruckman Matt Compston has also retired.

Eaton is a dual premiership coach at Sunraysia league club Irymple.

Originally published as Bendigo: Golden Square “parts ways” with premiership coach Christian Carter