After one successful season, North Launceston coach Tom Couch is heading home to take up a playing-assistant coach role at VFL club Casey Demons.
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Two-time premiership captain Taylor Whitford will take over as head coach for the next two seasons - following in the footsteps of his father Chris.
Couch, 29, replaced Zane Littlejohn in the 2016 off-season on a two-year deal and was employed to head the Simon Black Academy in Launceston.
However, the troubled academy will wind up in April, leaving Couch with little choice but to explore his options with North president Thane Brady’s consent.
Couch said he is proud of his achievements at York Park and that he was thankful for all the support he received.
“We approached AFL Tas about potential work in the area and there was sort of nothing there, but once I found out the academy was finished I realised it was time to head home,” he said.
“The opportunity to go to Casey, play the same as Melbourne, and to be able to learn their game style and coaching methods led by Jade Rawlings is the next step of my coaching career.
“I have loved every second of my time here and I’m grateful for all the support… I’m hopeful the boys learnt a bit from me but they taught me so much more, and that is what a successful club looks like.
“To win the premiership was great, but it’s the friendships and relationship that will keep me coming back and I’m proud now to call myself a North Launceston person.”
Couch said he has no doubt Whitford, 25, will be able to continue on the success at North, which has seen the club play in the past four consecutive grand finals.
“He is an incredible skipper and the most important things as a captain are that you have to lead by example, you have to bring others along with you and ideally be a very good player – Taylor ticks all those boxes,” he said.
“I had no hesitation in recommending him for the job, he coached a game against Glenorchy and it was a real turning point of our season.”
Brady said Whitford would be supported by North’s array of experienced assistants and that at no point did they look externally for a replacement.
“We take seriously the investment required in making our people the best they can be providing development opportunities wherever possible,” he said.
“The club is proud of how many of its former players and coaches are involved in leadership and coaching roles throughout the state and the country.
“Taylor is a ready-made head coach. As our club captain he has undertaken his apprenticeship under firstly Zane Littlejohn and last season Tom Couch inclusive of experience in all aspects of planning, logistics, scheduling and delivering training sessions, people management and actually coaching on match days.”
Brady said Couch has left North Launceston in a better place and wished him all the best into the future.
“Tom is a professional,” he said.
“His technical knowledge of the game was the perfect tonic to add to our already successful footy recipe.
“The end result of Tom’s impact on the club can be seen when reviewing our finals record this year winning every finals game convincingly including the grand final by 87 points.”
This year’s Darrel Baldock and Alastair Lynch medalist Brad Cox-Goodyer is the favourite to take on the captaincy.
North’s pre-season start on Monday.
- EXIT INTERVIEW: Couch opens up about a host of Tasmanian football topics in this week’s Sunday Examiner.