Osborne players don Bulldog jumpers during Mad Monday in cheeky parting swipe to Joel Mackie

With Mackie set to coach Jindera next season, most of the players turned up wearing Bulldogs jumpers in a cheeky parting swipe.

Osborne president Jason 'Spud' Webster said Mackie appreciated being the butt of the joke.

"It was funny when three-quarters of the players turned up in Jindera football gear," Webster said.

"Just seeing the look on Joel's face was priceless."

Mackie will now turn his attention to transforming the Bulldogs into a finals force after they missed finals this season after making the preliminary final last year.

He departs Osborne with the phenomenal winning strike rate of 54 wins from 56 matches and has now won nine flags from 15 grand final appearances.

Webster conceded it would be hard for him personally to watch Mackie running around in the blue, white and red next season.

"I won't lie, it's going to be tough for me to see Joel playing for a rival club," Webster said.

"I've watched Joel grow and develop as a coach so much over the past four years.

"I remember his very first training session at Osborne was up in Wagga and he had his notes written down on a piece of paper and was shaking like a leaf and nervous as hell.

"But to see the coach he is now and the way he addresses the players and made a few speeches during the celebrations, he is like a seasoned professional now.

"Which is a real credit to him and as a club we like to think we played our part in that along the way."

Webster revealed the playing group supported the club's policy of having a maximum tenure of four-years as coach.

Graham Hart, Matt Rava and now Mackie have all led the Tigers to the Holy Grail in their last match in charge.

"All the players have really embraced Joel as coach and we are all sad to see Joel move on," Webster said.

"But the group is mature enough to understand the footy world and the cycles that it goes in.

"As a club, we look forward to the challenge of playing against Joel and the Bulldogs.

"I've got no doubt he will improve their club and they will be up and about as a finals force next year.

"They have already got the nucleus of a strong playing list and with a bit of Mackie polish can improve rapidly.

"As a club we are proud to see somebody like Joel move onto another role.

"We want people that have been at our club to go onto bigger and better things."

Mackie played juniors at Jindera, made his senior debut at the kennel and played in their 2008 flag triumph under coach Robbie Murray.

A fairytale flag at his home club in the twilight of his outstanding career could prove to be a fitting farewell to one of the most talented O&M players of his era.

Webster said it would have been a football travesty if Mackie departed Osborne without a flag after winning 54 out of 56 matches from 2021 onwards.

"I think after getting beat in the grand final last year there was a steely resolve amongst the playing group to make amends," Webster said.

"When the club announced to the playing group that this was Joel's last season in charge, we all just knew we had to get the job done and send Joel out on the ultimate high.

"The players had the attitude that Joel wasn't leaving Osborne without being a premiership coach.

"Because of all the work he did, he deserved it and as president, I'm just glad it all worked out how we planned."

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