EFNL Division 3 2023: Coldstream coach Chad Rogers to step down at season’s end

Chad Rogers will step away from his longstanding post at the end of the season. The Division 3 mentor discusses his decision and coaching future ...

COLDSTREAM senior coach Chad Rogers will leave his post at the end of the season, citing the club needs a “fresh voice”.

Rogers took on the job ahead of 2018 after leading Upper Gully to an unbeaten flag campaign in 2016.

He’s coached the club to three of a possible four finals series, helping the Cougars into Division 3 following an undefeated Division 4 campaign in 2021 before the season was cut short due to Covid.

Rogers steered the club to fourth spot and a finals berth in its first season up in Division 3 last year – but the Cougars have battled on-field this year, banking just five wins from 16 starts.

The outgoing coach believes the club can rebound next season.

Coldstream coach Chad Rogers. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“Six years is long enough and they probably need a fresh voice and a new stimulus,” Rogers said of his resignation.

“They can bounce back very quickly – they’ve just been devastated by injuries this year.”

Two Covid-ravaged campaigns across 2020-21 have made up Rogers’ six years as coach.

Following no football played in 2020, 2021’s season was canned midway as the Cougars were on top of the ladder and unbeaten with 11 wins and a percentage of 543.29 in Division 4.

They had an average winning margin of 132 points and were on track to win their first senior flag since 2001.

Each club which finished on top in its division was later awarded a minor premier cup by the league – which also promoted Coldstream to Division 3.

“I feel you take that as a premiership, because that (Coldstream) team was the most dominant team nearly ever in the EFL – (almost) 600 per cent and undefeated,” Rogers said.

“They deserved a flag and I said you should still recognise it as that in the future.

“It’s an interesting talking point anyway, isn’t it?”

Rogers said the club had battled without up to “50 per cent” of its best 22 available for most of this season, using 41 players amid a heavy injury toll.

“It started Round 1 when we had four season-ending injuries – we had two ACLs and two patella tendon ruptures,” he said.

“We lost Bryce Batty before the season even started, with a shoulder reconstruction.

“He would’ve been a massive recruit, and it (the injury list) kind of just snowballed.

“It’s been a battle.”

The Cougars snared their fifth win of the season on Saturday, defeating Warrandyte to distance themselves from relegation – with the bottom club to drop to Division 4 at the end of the year.

They hold an eight-point gap on the Whitehorse Pioneers, who have a 3-13 record for 12 premiership points with two home-and-away rounds left.

Rogers said Saturday’s 62-point win was “by far our best performance” of the season, as sharpshooter Darcy Fritsch returned from VFL side Northern Bullants, slotting five goals.

“We were rapt to have Darcy Fritsch back and basically our best side on paper for the year, other than Lauchie Craig,” Rogers said.

“We knew if we could bring our best effort, we’d go close to winning the game.”

Rogers hasn’t ruled out a return to coaching in the future.

“I’m unsure – this year’s been quite draining just with the type of year it’s been,” he said.

“I probably just need a freshen-up and whether that’s to do something different next year or just have a year off, I’m not really sure, we’ll just wait and see.”