Wodonga Raiders' hopes of remaining a finals force has struck another blow.
Still reeling from the departure of the club's best player in Jydon Neagle to coach Balranald, Steve Jolliffe is the latest star to depart Birallee Park.
Jolliffe has signed with home club Collingullie-Glenfield Park.
His decision to return to his home club wouldn't come as a surprise to Raiders' officials with Jolliffe making the trek from the family farm near Collingullie to play at Birallee Park this season.
He also trained with the Demons once a week.
Jolliffe said it was always a matter of when and not if he would return to the Demons where he is a dual premiership player.
"It was pretty inevitable really, it felt like the right time after moving back to the farm with the family," Jolliffe told The Daily Advertiser.
"When I came back in 2017 I wasn't in the best of spots footy-wise, I had an injury early on and coming back I wanted to enjoy the game again and I enjoyed being back with the locals.
"It was always my intention to come back and play at some point, it was just a case of when I came back home."
ALSO IN SPORT
The departure of Jolliffe alongside Neagle will leave a gaping hole in the Raiders' midfield.
The pair were also dangerous options when resting forward.
Jolliffe returned to Raiders this season after a stint with Howlong in the Hume league.
The classy midfielder won the Azzi medal in 2018.
Jolliffe played 12 out of a possible 13 matches this season.
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