Two long-time mates are reuniting to take charge of a Central Highlands Football League club next year as joint coaches.
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Rokewood-Corindhap veteran ruckman Ed Denouden is being joined by past Geelong and District league best and fairest, and leading goalkicker Lucas Murphy to lead the Grasshoppers.
Murphy also significantly has senior coaching experience, with a two-year stint at Anglesea in the Bellarine league.
They will succeed Shaune Moloney, who will step down as coach at the end of this season after six years at the helm.
Moloney intends to stay involved with the club, but says it's time for a break from the head coaching role.
Denbouden, 37, will take on the job in what will be his fifth season with Rokewood-Corindhap.
He is coaching the Grasshopper reserves for the first time this year.
Denouden and Murphy, who are also workmates, played together at East Geelong in 2015.
Murphy retired at the end of that season and linked up with Denouden on the football field for the first time since then this year - playing three games in the Rokewood-Corindhap reserves as a 47-year-old.
Moloney joined Rokewood-Corindhap as a joint coach with Damon Delaney in 2019.
He then combined with Brad Macgowan in a coaching partnership until last year.
Moloney was open to stepping aside this season if the right person could be found for the job, but agreed to stay on when the Grasshoppers' search for a suitable replacement came up empty.
"I'm happily handing over the role, but will stay involved in some capacity - wherever the need is," he said.
Denouden said a desire to give something back to the club had been a motivating factor in putting his hand up for the job.
"The club wrapped its arms around my family from the moment we arrived.
"It has such a great family culture. Once you go through the gates you never leave.
"They're good, honest country people.
"I want to put something back into the club," he said.
Denouden said there could be no better apprenticeship for coaching than playing under Moloney for four years.
"He has so much enthusiasm and energy. It's lit a fire in my belly (for coaching).
Denouden said it had been Moloney who sowed the seed to take on the senior coaching role.
He said coaching the reserves had enable him to look at football from a different perspective and he was keen to develop that.
Denouden said football was a lifestyle and while retirement as a player was not yet in his mind, coaching was the next step.
Denouden and Murphy believe they provide the perfect mix for the coaching job - Denouden with his experience in and knowledge of the club and CHFL over an extended period, and Murphy with an expansive playing career and senior coaching experience.
Murphy said the opportunity to link up with a close mate to had re-energised his desire to again coach.
"Seeing the enthusiasm in Ed, I can't wait to get back into it."
He said he was excited by what he had seen at Rokewood-Corindhap, with some great foundations already place.
Murphy, who also played with Barwons Heads and South Croydon, said having to walk away from coaching at the end of 2014 after two years in charge at Anglesea owing to commitments outside football had left him with a feeling of unfinished business.
