Roos face exodus

The Roos are yet to appoint a successor for departing coach Bryce Campbell and will need to recruit heavily to remain competitive in the O and M next season.

Midfielder Chris Marshall is the latest to depart the John Foord Oval after returning to Jerilderie as coach of the Picola North West league club.

As well as Campbell, key defender Al Austin has signed with the Billabong Crows in the Hume league, while star forward Luke Gestier and star midfielder James Brain are weighing up their futures.

Austin will be joined at Billabong Crows by Roos teammate James O’Connell and his wife, Beck, who has been appointed as club netball coach.

Corowa-Rutherglen forward James Svarc, 20, is also weighing up his future.

“I’m still up in the air at the moment,” Svarc said.

“I’m just trying to work out what will suit with my work.

“No decisions have been made yet.”

The Roos, who approached retired St Kilda champion Adam Schneider about the vacant coaching job, aren’t the only O and M club still searching for a coach.

Wangaratta Rovers are also yet to announce a replacement for Paul Maher, but appear close.

Marshall had a decorated career at Jerilderie, before joining the Roos before the 2014 season.

He won the Picola league’s Pearce Medal in 2012 and has won three Jerilderie best and fairest awards to go with three premierships.

Marshall played 35 senior games in his two seasons with the Roos and Jerilderie president Stuart Watson said the midfielder would be a great asset for the club, which lost this year’s grand final to Strathmerton.

“We are extremely happy,” Watson said.

“He’s fairly decorated in the Picola league and he’s played all his junior footy and a lot of senior footy here prior to him going to Corowa.

“Chris is fairly passionate about his footy.

“He’s a hard worker on the training track so he’ll definitely get the boys fit.

“He’ll bring a different outlook to coaching that we probably haven’t had at Jerilderie before.”