TWO-time premiership player Jai Canny says leaving the Wangaratta Magpies was one of the hardest decisions he’s made in football.
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The skillful goalsneak will join Ovens and King club Tarrawingee next season, but won’t be able to play until mid-year because of a shoulder reconstruction.
Canny has joined the Dogs as assistant coach under Trevor Edwards.
The 26-year-old said missing the start of next season with the shoulder injury played some part in his decision to leave the Norm Minns Oval.
“My heart will always be there,” Canny said.
“I’ll end up back there at some stage in some capacity.
“It’s definitely a tough call and not one I made overnight.
“To play senior senior football in the Ovens and Murray is time consuming and you have to put the work in if you want to get the results.
“Footy-wise I want to take a step back and play with a few mates I haven’t played with before, but I still love Maggies.”
Canny played his 100th senior game for the Magpies this season, a milestone that he would have brought up sooner had he not been cut down by injury.
His greatest moments came in 2007 and 2008 when he helped the Magpies to back-to-back premierships.
Canny, who started as a 15-year-old in Wangaratta’s thirds, landed a senior premiership in his first season in the top grade – 2007.
“To come out of thirds and play in a grand final, I was very lucky,” he said.
“It’s something I appreciate now, probably more than I did at the time.
“I broke my jaw before finals (in 2007) so I was lucky to get back.
“Those years I was injury-prone and lucky enough to get back at the end of the year.”
Canny has predominantly played as a half forward who pinch-hit in the midfield, but it wasn’t always that way.
“I was thrown around a lot early days, just filled holes really,” Canny said.
“Onball was cool, running around with the best players in the league like Joel Mackie.
“It’s daunting at the time.”
Canny visited the surgeon on Thursday and is on track for a mid-season return.
“I’d hope to be back before the middle of the year,” he said.
“Anything before that is a bonus.
“They reckon it’s a nine-month recovery, but depending on how rehab goes I should be able to get back a bit earlier.”
