GFL coaching news: Bell Park’s Shane Jack to step down from role after 2022 season
Bell Park is the first GFL club to announce a search for a new head coach after Shane Jack turned down the chance to return in 2023.
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Outgoing coach Shane Jack said he would look back on his time at Bell Park fondly, despite not reaching finals in his four-year tenure.
The Bell Park coach announced to the club on Thursday that 2022 would be his last season in the role.
He said it was difficult to tell the playing group and staff of his decision to step away from coaching duties.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club, I started at Bell Park not knowing many people, but we’ve had some great wins and great times in the last few years,” he said.
“The hardest thing was telling the assistants and the playing group, some of them had spent all four years alongside me.
“It’s been a bit disappointing this season, but as I said to the boys last night, I want to enjoy the last six games and give the club every chance to retain the playing group and find a few good candidates for next year.”
Bell Park won 12 games in its first season under Jack, but despite the strong winning record, the Dragons failed to make the top five.
After completely missing out on football in 2020, Jack had Bell Park sitting fourth on the ladder before Covid again cancelled the season in 2021.
This year the Dragons have not been in finals contention, winning just three games from 12 rounds and are sitting tenth on the ladder.
Jack said the club had offered him a chance to return to the role in 2023, but he had declined and would step away from coaching for the foreseeable future.
“I still enjoy the Saturdays, but we haven’t had the season we wanted and that pressure built up, more so from myself,” he said.
“I started to think that if I needed to talk myself into it, then I shouldn’t be coaching.
“It hurt not to reach finals, Covid obviously impacted that a bit but when I started I said that I wanted to get the club back to finals and we weren’t able to get there.”
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Originally published as GFL coaching news: Bell Park’s Shane Jack to step down from role after 2022 season
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