Damian Cupido to leave the Maryborough Giants at the end of the season
This weekend will be the last time Damian Cupido coaches the Maryborough Giants as he’s set to move on at the end of the year. Here is what we know.
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The Maryborough Giants are on the lookout for a new coach with Damian Cupido to leave the club at the end of the year.
The ex-AFL player will coach his final game this weekend for the Giants, against Talbot, after he and the club mutually decided to part ways.
Cupido created history this year becoming the first coach of the merged club in the Maryborough Castlemaine District league.
The club was formed after Maryborough Rovers and Royal Park merged at the end of 2023.
His goal was to make finals and be a challenger but the team fell short of those expectations winning just four games, highlighted by three straight wins from rounds six to eight.
The team lost their first five matches.
Maryborough Giants co-president Kate Balzan said the decision wasn’t an easy one but both came to the same agreement and leave on good terms.
“We both were just looking for different things next year,” she revealed.
“We weren’t disappointed in the year itself. We knew it was going to be a challenging year.
“We’re happy with the season and how it’s gone and what Damian provided.
“It’s just a mutual parting of the ways in a respectful way.”
Balzan conceded the team wasn’t consistent enough during the season, which is what the team was aiming to rectify heading into year two with a new coach.
“We’d be hoping to build strong and better than next year,” she said.
“We’ve had weeks (this year) where we’ve played some really good sides and were really competitive and then other weeks it just didn’t quite get together.
“We’d be hoping next to build some consistency.
“We’re looking for a coach that can offer that expertise and help building still a new club.”
It’s unclear at this stage where Cupido might be heading for next year.
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