OUT-OF-CONTRACT Launceston Tornadoes coach Richard Dickel will return home to South Australia for a brief sabbatical before deciding his future.
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Club chairwoman Janie Finlay confirmed earlier this week that an internal review would take place before any decisions moving forward are made, including the head coaching role, despite Dickel expressing an interest to stay on.
“I’ll relax probably for about a month and then make some decisions on my future,” Dickel said.
“It’s definitely something I’d be interested in but a lot of things have to happen before we go down that path.”
The Torns finished with a defeat to Dandenong in the south conference final on the weekend and boasted a 12-10 home and away season record with Dickel stepping in to replace Ben Rush as coach after just four matches.
Dickel said he would recruit based on charter and try to keep the club’s nucleus of talented Tasmanians such as Jayde Brazendale, Ellie Collins and Bec Abel if he was to continue.
“We did very well at points in time especially at the right end of the season but I think we were just thereabouts to compete for a championship,” he said.
“The secret is developing the local talent that’s here. Whoever comes in comes in but it’s about the young up-and-coming girls stepping up and contributing probably more consistently than what they have in the past.
“That’s a massive key as far as a club moving forward.”
Dickel said player restrictions and various factors would go into determining Launceston’s marquee players for next year but was hopeful incumbents Lauren Mansfield, Tayla Roberts and Lauren Nicholson would return.
He said former Tornadoes American import and Hobart Charger Mikaela Ruef would also be on the inquiries list.
“You never say never to anybody. You never know what will happen in the future... it depends on what’s here and what local players commit,” Dickel said.