YARRAWONGA has suffered a huge blow, with star forward Kayne Pettifer leaving the premiership contending side.
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After weighing up his future for several weeks, Pettifer has made the tough call to return to his home club Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley league.
“It was a family decision,” the 33-year-old said.
“I will still live in Melbourne but I’ll get back there as much as I can. Paul (Newman) is one of my really good mates and my brother-in-law is the assistant coach so they put a fair bit of heat on me.
“It cut me to shreds telling Kea (Chris Kennedy) I wasn’t going to be there next year, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.”
After the departure of Brendan Fevola to Deer Park, former Richmond forward Pettifer was set to be the main forward target for the Pigeons in 2016.
That mantle will now fall to Brad O’Connor, who’s returning to the club after a year with Strathmerton in the Picola North West league.
Pigeons co-coach Drew Barnes said Pettifer had left a lasting legacy at Yarrawonga.
“He’s given a lot to the club and he was great at developing our younger players,” Barnes said.
Pettifer, who booted 132 goals from 113 games at Richmond, joined the Pigeons in 2013.
He booted 64 goals in his first season as the Pigeons claimed back-to-back flags, and 68 in 2014.
Pettifer booted 58 this season and stepped up when Fevola was injured in the second half of the year.
Barnes said he wasn’t shocked Pettifer had chosen to return to Kyabram after three impressive years at the Pigeons.
“I think he’s been stewing on the decision for a couple of weeks,” Barnes said.
“He’s been fantastic for us.
“I know all the kids and everyone who got to play with him got a lot out of it while he was here.”
While the Pigeons have recruited strongly, they’ve now lost Pettifer, Fevola, Wade Lees, Matt Dwyer and Ricky Barnes, who has returned to Nathalia.
New Kyabram coach Paul Newman said Pettifer was a perfect fit for his club.
“For someone of Kayne’s calibre to come back and finish off his footy at his home club is exciting,” he said.
“His last couple of years have probably been the two best years he’s played since he came out of the system so he’s super fit.”
Kyabram lost this year’s GV grand final to Benalla by 59 points.