North Melbourne and Coach Rhyce Shaw came to a mutual decision to part company. Shortly after their season ended, Shaw took a leave of absence from the club. North chairman, Ben Buckley, expressed his gratitude to Rhyce for his dedicated service, “Since taking on the role as caretaker coach in ... 2019 and then senior coach for 2020, Rhyce Shaw has given his all ... He has been an exceptional leader and is a man of the highest integrity. His work ethic is unparalleled and we are truly grateful for the time, effort and energy he’s put into the role."
Shaw was also grateful for the opportunity, “I'm immensely grateful ... for the opportunity ... and want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the football department and club staff, as well as North's incredible members and supporters, who together, endured an extraordinarily challenging season. Your contribution, commitment and dedication to this club was enormous ... To the players - I will forever cherish the relationships we built and the stories we shared, and I'm grateful for the courage and belief you demonstrated along the journey. I'd also like to extend my thanks to members of the AFL media for the care and respect they've shown ... Despite the challenges of the past year, my passion for football remains. The experiences I've had throughout my career developing young footballers to reach their potential has given me the greatest satisfaction and pride, and I hope to have the opportunity to contribute to this great game again in the future ...".
Just before the departure of Rhyce Shaw, it was reported that forward Ben Brown had a virtual meeting with Melbourne and is set to undergo a pre-trade physical. Brown, 27, has been put up for trade after contract talks with the club and his management broke down. Brown kicked over 60 goals for three consecutive seasons, but a knee injury restricted him to just nine games in 2020. He has kicked 287 goals in 130 games across seven seasons with the Kangaroos.
Source: Karla Zanardo, North Melbourne Media Release, theage.com
Article last changed on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 8:23 PM EST
