Whittlesea has parted ways with premiership-winning coach Blair Harvey

Whittlesea has made the stunning decision to sack premiership-winning coach Blair Harvey after the its heavy defeat to Montmorency.

Whittlesea coach Blair Harvey. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Whittlesea has made the stunning decision to sack premiership-winning coach Blair Harvey.

The move follows the Eagles’ heavy 157-point loss to NFL Division 1 premiership favourite Montmorency on Saturday, leaving the club on the bottom of the ladder.

Injuries and illness have hit the club hard this season.

Boom recruit Jarrad Waite has played just two games, VFL-listed pair Cam Wild and Curtis Brown have featured once and twice respectively and star defender Jaron Murphy has been limited to four appearances by work commitments.

Best-and-fairest winner Blake Watson has played two games due to VFL commitments at Sandringham as has Collingwood VFL-listed young gun Zach Molloy.

Whittlesea coach Blair Harvey and captain Riley Dyson lift the premiership cup. Picture: Hamish Blair

It’s been a season of big highs and disappointing lows for the 2019 NFL Division 2 premier.

The Eagles stunned West Preston-Lakeside by eight points in one of the upsets of the season in Round 2 and also have a seven-point win over Macleod under their belts.

However, a 142-point loss to Heidelberg – off a five-day break after Anzac Day – and a 70-point defeat to Bundoora have marred the campaign.

Whittlesea released a club statement on Friday.

“The Whittlesea Football Netball Club would like to advise that Blair Harvey is no longer the senior coach of the club,” it read.

“The WFNC sincerely thanks Blair for his contribution and commitment to the club since 2019. The WFNC wishes Blair, Brooke and the kids all the best for the future.

“Senior assistant coach Matt “Wattle” Glenn has resigned from his position, the WFNC respects this decision and again thanks Wattle for his dedication to the club.

“The senior coach panel now consists of Jimmy Robinson, Jarrad Waite and Luke Russell.

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“Whilst this has been a challenging week for the club, we now get back to the footy and focus on the big weekend ahead.”

Harvey took the Whittlesea job before the 2019 season, a year after retiring as a player.

A star midfielder in a dominant Heidelberg side during the 2000s, Harvey will go down as one of the greatest Diamond Valley/Northern Football League players of all time.

He captained the Tigers to five premierships, including the historic 2006-09 four-peat and won another at North Heidelberg with cousins Brent and Shane Harvey in 2017.