Luke Brookes re-signs for his fifth year as Chiltern senior coach

Last week Brookes admitted he'd thought about stepping aside after four years in charge, the last two of which have ultimately been written off by COVID.

But the Swans confirmed on Saturday night that Brookes was on board for another assault on the Tallangatta league.

"It's a fantastic group and I love the footy club," Brookes said.

"We've got unfinished business and the whole group's going to stick together, hopefully get out to Sandy Creek and do what we've been trying to do.

"I'm confident in what we've got right now but you're always looking to improve.

"We've been able to keep people at the club over the last four or five years and we're very low on points so we could still go out and chase a few.

"I've got a great family behind me and they're happy for me to keep going.

"I'm so thankful for their support, as well as the club who have shown confidence in backing me in for a fifth year."

In turn, Chiltern president Tom Lappin is thrilled to see Brookes commit for another 12 months.

"He's been absolutely tremendous," Lappin said.

"Before he took the coaching job on, we were struggling to get players and struggling to be competitive but he put his hand up and said 'what about giving me a go, I think I'll be able to entice some people back' and he was as good as his word.

"Within two years, we were playing finals.

"He's kept us up there ever since and been able to improve the side each year."

Chiltern finished second on the TDFL ladder with a 9-2 record but it wasn't just their seniors who were looking forward to finals.

The reserves and under-14s were both sitting fourth when the season was halted by lockdown in Victoria, while the Swans' under-17s finished fifth.

"It wasn't that many years ago we were struggling to field reserves," Lappin said.

"But now, because Luke's been able to get so many players to the place, that automatically improves your reserves as well.

"He's a good talker, Luke.

"All the players here, for years, have looked up to him because he's pretty good with the mouth!"

ALSO IN SPORT:

Lappin admitted the cancellation of the season was a bitter pill to swallow for several reasons.

"We're very fortunate that the town gets right behind the football club and that's why it was so disappointing this year," he said.

"For little towns like ours, the football club is the life blood of the town and when things like this happen, people just do not understand what effect it has.

"People rely on getting out and going to the football; it's their only form of entertainment a lot of the time."

Changes are afoot elsewhere in the TDFL, with Adam Mudra calling time after five years in charge of Kiewa-Sandy Creek, while Tim Kennedy is taking over from Tyson Smith at Tallangatta.

Brayden Carey and Tom Cartledge have signed as co-coaches of Beechworth.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: