GDFL: North Geelong coach Michael Boothey sacked after 0-9 start to first season

A GDFL coach has been spectacularly sacked halfway through his first season in charge, despite having another 18 months to run on his contract.

Michael Boothey has been sacked as the head coach of North Geelong.

North Geelong has spectacularly sacked first-year coach Michael Boothey just nine games into a three-year contract as the head of the Magpies.

Boothey was signed on until the end of the 2024 season, with an option to extend for another season into 2025, after North Geelong parted ways with Mark Hounslow during the 2022 campaign.

But the board decided to terminate his contract after the club’s loss to Anakie in round 9, citing a lack of improvement from the playing group.

Boothey confirmed his contract had been terminated at North Geelong, but refused to comment further on the matter.

Michael Boothey was signed on until the end of 2024, with an option to extend into 2025.

North Geelong also terminated assistant Adrian Smith’s contract, having also sacked assistant Harry Kelly after the loss to Belmont in round 5.

The Magpies’ senior side has not won a game after 13 games in 2023, but their reserves team sits fifth on the ladder with a 9-4 record, having improved from a 4-14 record in 2022.

It is believed Boothey had a meeting ahead of the Anakie clash, being the halfway point of the season, to discuss potential recruits for 2024.

There had been no discussion about the match potentially being the last of Boothey’s tenure at the club.

Boothey was expected to sit down for a mid-year review after the clash with the Roos, but on Sunday night following the seven-point loss he was told his contract had been terminated.

North Geelong lost to Anakie, with Boothey’s contract terminated after the bottom-of-the-table clash.

It is believed the club then informed players Boothey and the Magpies had mutually parted ways.

North Geelong has now sacked two coaches in the past two seasons, with Hounslow also being moved on during his first season in charge.

Hounslow had been sacked with four games left in the 2022 season after a verbal exchange in the changerooms following a narrow five-point win over Corio, with Jarrod Bryant taking the reins for the remainder of the season.

President Darren Vandenberg, as well as several members of the board could not be reached for comment.

Originally published as GDFL: North Geelong coach Michael Boothey sacked after 0-9 start to first season