![Ben Hutt, Tony Lockyer and Mick Hutt are locked and loaded for season 2025 at Sebastopol. Picture supplied Ben Hutt, Tony Lockyer and Mick Hutt are locked and loaded for season 2025 at Sebastopol. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/greg.gliddon/2b0c0ee5-2e68-43a3-9a66-7e0611293313.jpeg/r0_0_1728_2046_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SEBASTOPOL has moved quickly secure its immediate future on and off field with playing-coach Tony Lockyer and captain Ben Hutt signing on for season 2025.
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Reserves coach Mick Hutt has also signed on for next season as the Burra look to settle their leadership as they chase a berth in the finals series.
Saturday's big win over Ballarat has suddenly left Sebastopol in a strong position to make a late charge towards the finals, and with what looks on paper to be a good draw ahead, the Burra is up-and-about in its quest for another finals campaign.
For Lockyer, signing on again to the club he has played with since under-11s was a no-brainer.
"From juniors all the way through to the TAC Cup program and since, I've always been a Sebastopol person," he said.
"We're believing in the process with how we're going. The reality is we are a lot younger side this season, and we are slowly developing, hopefully there's some more good signs to come.
![Tony Lockyer will return as Sebastopol coach in season 2025. Tony Lockyer will return as Sebastopol coach in season 2025.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/greg.gliddon/5089f865-1ce2-48a3-bc1e-d124493b0161.JPG/r0_0_6192_3812_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We've got Ben Hutt sticking around together as well. It looks like a lot of the group are going to stick together. He's the key one. He's been outstanding this year as a first year captain, you forget, he's only 24 years old, he's still young and he's been playing senior footy since he was 15.
"We are very lucky to have him at the club and he's been instrumental in us being able to turn it around."
Lockyer said he was pleased to have plan for next season already locked in and thanked the club for showing its long-term faith.
"There's been a belief from the club all along and I know I've had the whole club at my back who believe in the process we are putting in place," he said.
"The list itself, the club as well, is heading in the right direction as it has been for the past 10 years,
"It's great we've been able to lock it in early. It took us a fair while to have things sorted for this year.
![Sebastopol captain Ben Hutt has signed on again for season 2025. Sebastopol captain Ben Hutt has signed on again for season 2025.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/greg.gliddon/dbe08571-2099-4e15-8797-a682c08e3833.JPG/r0_0_5392_3592_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We were probably a bit behind the eight-ball starting this season, now we can really attack our plans to get things in place for next year."
Lockyer said he was happy to continue going one-year-at-a-time, but at just 31, he knows he still has a lot of football in him.
"I remember when I came back at 26, they were all calling me old, but I'm still only fairly young, so I'm really looking forward to continue to offer what I can," he said.
The Burra is at the start of an extended break, with a bye this weekend followed by the competition bye for the interleague round on July 6. They next take the field at home against East Point on July 13.
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