Wangaratta Rovers' coach Daryn Cresswell says there's no bad blood against his former side.
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Cresswell led Wodonga Raiders for four years, but will coach against them for the first time in Saturday's blockbuster.
"No, not at all," he said when quizzed if he has any ill-feeling towards the visitors.
It was generally believed Cresswell stated his intention to leave Raiders after three years, serving out the final year with Jarrod Hodgkin as his assistant, before he assumed the top role in 2019.
"But it was 24 months previously, they knew two years out I was going to be moving on," he said.
And Raiders say Cresswell's impact will never be forgotten.
"We don't have any bad blood with 'Crezza', obviously he's been quite a successful coach with us, getting us from where we were into finals, he developed our younger players," football operations manager Brad Smith said.
Raiders' stalwart and O and M Hall of Famer Stephen Clarke raves about Cresswell's 'modern day' coaching.
"I just found the way they trained and the direction he gave young blokes and just teaching them the modern game is as good as I've seen," he said.
"The way training's structured to the way that we were going to play, so the players learnt where they were going to go (was terrific)."
Clarke's sons Dylan and Hayden played under Cresswell, who says he gains tremendous satisfaction out of their improvement.
"Of course I do, blokes like Hayden, (Jarrod), 'Sporty' Ardern, Brad St John, Shane Munro, he's one of my best mates.
"I'm still very close to a number of players at the club and still speak to them regularly.
"I'm really disappointed with how we finished (Raiders were pipped by Albury with 57 seconds left for a spot in the grand final).
"It left a sour taste in my mouth, that was the underlying reason why I coached again to be honest."
But football is no lovefest and given fifth spot is probably riding on the result, both parties will be desperate.
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