BRENT GODDE: What is the biggest issue facing the Hume league?

KEN STEVENSON: In my opinion the preferential draw is a major problem and should be done as a draw and should be done every two years. It seems ridiculous that if you are in the top six and drop out for one season, that the next season you only play most of the top six once. Probably Jindera, if they can pick up three or four players next season, will be the classic example of that. Miss the top six this season and then probably be guaranteed a top-three finish because of getting an easier draw.

BG: Your thoughts on the points system?

KS: I dislike it because it is not enforced properly. So if you don’t enforce something, why have it?

BG: Your thoughts on the top six?

KS: Totally unfair. Last year we lost three games for the year. In one of those games we had 10 players out with injuries, lost one by five points and got comfortably beaten in the other. Yet we were still exposed to getting eliminated in the first week of the finals and had to win four straight matches to win the flag which is terribly tough and not right.

BG: Should the finals be held at Walbundrie?

KS: I believe this is a huge issue. Walbundrie is fantastic for country football and I have got some great memories from the ground. But at the end of the day, it is not a great thing for the league. The grand final must be played in Albury and the other finals spread around at some of the other great facilities in the league like Holbrook, Culcairn and Jindera. Last year the ground was so hard it was dangerous and we could only train one night a week during finals because it took that long to recover after playing on the unsuitable surface.

BG: Are you dumbfounded by the amount of money some players are being offered in country football?

KS: I’m more than dumbfounded — I’m astounded. I don’t know where the money comes from. Jindera has worked on a minimal budget regardless of what anyone outside the club may think. There have been no highly paid players at the club and we have stuck to our budget. At the end of the day, I don’t understand why some clubs go out and offer so much money to players. It doesn’t add up because the players quite often don’t give back anywhere near off the field what they should be when accepting that sort of money. We lost Trent Castles and Sam Pierpoint this year because we could not give them even half of what they were being offered at other clubs and you can’t blame them for leaving.

BG: Is it true you don’t get paid to coach?

KS: I was never paid as an assistant coach in 2008 and 2009. As a senior coach last year the money I got paid wouldn’t have covered my petrol. This year I’m getting a little bit more money which covers my petrol but I pay my own assistant. I don’t make money out of coaching footy — I lose money.

BG: There was an unusual incident with Lockhart’s Tom Marlow and Bulldogs runner Andy Stuart in your round 13 clash that left Stuart lying on the turf. What did you think of the tribunal’s decision?

KS: Andy is 70 kilograms and 50 years old and was flattened by a 100 kilogram player who should have been without doubt suspended for a minimum of 12 weeks. The tribunal and league’s decision was disgraceful.

BG: You became the first non-playing coach to win a flag since Lockhart’s Mick Glanvill in 2003. Feel it is something more clubs should look at?

KS: I think co-coaches similar to Albury and Yarrawonga will become a growing trend. I think it’s a really difficult role to just have a playing coach because the game has become so tactical. I don’t think people understand that the amount of rotations you do as a coach and understand the time and effort it takes.

BG: Consider Jindera’s biggest rival and why?

KS: Obviously Culcairn. It is a fantastic rivalry and I have the utmost respect for Culcairn. I had a funny incident in the preliminary final last year where I was standing on the boundary line at half-time making changes to the side. I had one of Culcairn’s main supporters absolutely barrelling me verbally for three minutes, telling me how I couldn’t coach. I later found out who it was and got his phone number and texted him a photo of the premiership cup with the message “I’m not such a bad coach after all”. Apparently he took it very well.

BG: Is it true in round 14 against Howlong that when the start of the game was delayed, league president Merv Wegener offered both clubs shorter breaks or shorter quarters. It got back to the Bulldog players that Howlong coach Marc Almond said shorter breaks because the Spiders needed the percentage. Was it a motivating factor that led to your best win of the season?

KS: Something like that did get back to the playing group and it was a huge motivating factor but we had set ourselves for the match all week.

BG: You led the club to a flag in your first season at the helm. Why did it take so long for you to be reappointed and was there a rift with some of the committee members?

KS: There wasn’t a rift with any committee members. It’s no secret that the president didn’t like the way that I coached. He was a fantastic worker at the football club and being a volunteer I do respect him and like him as a person. But I didn’t like the way he handled my re-signing and it became quite embarrassing and disappointed me greatly. But at the end of the day I hope it hasn’t taken any gloss off what we have been able to achieve.

BG: There were rumours several players left the club because you were appointed coach again. Was there a rift with any of the players?

KS: I would refute those rumours. There was probably only one player who left the club who had any rift with me at all and that was Aaron Lezius. I got on great with Aaron but we had what I would consider a couple of minor fallouts towards the end of last year because he was being heavily rotated on and off the bench that I believed would be beneficial for him with a long finals campaign ahead. He was appointed reserves coach this year and I thought everything was fine but I was never told by him that he resigned as reserves coach and I haven’t spoken to him since. Kirk Wilson chased his coaching ambitions with my encouragement. Daniel Cassidy with my encouragement again, decided to try out at a higher level. Aaron Boyle decided not to travel from Melbourne again. Four other players announced their retirement before the finals series.

BG: Did you expect to lose so many players?

KS: I did after the club took so long to re-sign me. Six weeks outside of finals we had 90 per cent of list committed to re-signing but because the club wouldn’t re-sign me and nobody knew what was really going on it became a mess and became difficult to recruit players. We had opportunities to recruit a number of players who wanted astronomical amounts of money which I was against so we decided to go with the kids.

BG: Would you like to be coaching Jindera again next season?

KS: I would love to coach Jindera again next season. But I have the utmost respect for the people who made the decision and have no problem or issue with it whatsoever and am proud with my association with the Jindera football club and always will be.

BG: What is the best thing you have found about your time at Jindera Football club.

KS: All the close friendships that both my wife, Sharon, and I have made with all the players and supporters and families at the club.

BG: What do you find the hardest part of coaching?

KS: Leaving a player out and telling him. I’m a family friend of the Garland family and I had to leave Kade Garland out of last year’s grand final side. To have to face him and his family was the most difficult thing I have had to do in footy.

BG: Where do you see your football future?

KS: I have spoken to two clubs and would love to be coaching.

BG: Rate the best player in your time at the club?

KS: Mark Hilton and Joel Mackie.

BG: You can pick one player from a rival club. Who and why?

KS: Michael Lamb is the most versatile and talented player in the league. He tore us apart in the grand final and caused me the most headaches.

BG: Most respected opposition coach?

KS: Jarrod Twitt was fantastic the way he spoke in the lead-up to and after the grand final and gained my respect as a coach and as a person.

BG: Would it be fair to say you did a lot more work behind the scenes in 2008 and 2009 under Robbie Murray than you were given credit for and what was your role?

KS: Robbie Murray was the best coach who I have ever been involved with. He was loved by the players and was a real people’s person where I was more methodical and tactical which Robbie allowed me to take on game day. I was given credit for it where it counted which was within the playing group.

BG: Who will play-off in the grand final and why?

KS: I think Holbrook and I can’t split if it will be against Osborne, Henty or Howlong.