Shane Lenon 'ready for a bit of a break', calls time on Marrar coaching gig

Nine-time premiership coach Shane Lenon informed the Marrar playing group on Thursday night that this season will be his last in the top job.

After a coaching career spanning 26 years, Lenon plans to take a break from coaching for at least 12 months.

"I've been coaching now for a number of years obviously, this is my sixth year at Marrar and I just reckon I'm ready to have a bit of a break," Lenon said.

"I'll have 12 months off and reassess and go from there.

"There's a few other things outside of football that I want to do, I've got a couple of grandkids that will be starting to play sport and things like that, things at work have changed a bit and I suppose when you're coaching, it's 24-7, I've had the backing of my family and think the time's right to have a bit of a break."

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Lenon took up his first coaching job at Lockhart in 1997 and has gone on to become one of the great mentors in country footy.

He went on to coach Collingullie-Glenfield Park, Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong and Marrar, winning premierships at all three clubs.

He has coached for 24 of the past 26 years and coached teams to 13 grand final appearances out of a possible 22, winning nine premierships along the way.

Lenon is a five-time premiership-winning coach at Collingullie, while he led GGGM and Marrar to two each as well.

The 53-year-old hasn't ruled out a return to coaching down the track.

"I'm not sure. I'll have 12 months off and might absolutely love having the break. If I miss it, I'll soon know within the 12 months and who knows what the future holds?" he said.

"At this stage, just looking forward to having the break.

"Obviously in saying that, I'm still fully committed and fully focused on the task at hand, which is what we've got ahead of us at Marrar this year."

And if this season does bring to an end his coaching career?

"I'm comfortable," Lenon said.

"I'm comfortable with the career and all that sort of thing.

"Footy's been great to me, most things that are positive in my life have come through footy. I've been very lucky, footy's given me so much. I've been very lucky, blessed, I suppose, to be involved in such a great game and footy's been good to me."

Lenon credits football with 'saving his life'.

"I was obviously born and bred in Ganmain so ever since you can hold onto a footy, you're out in the backyard kicking the footy with the old man and brothers and all that sort of stuff. It's born and bred into you," he said.

"It's been a part of my life since I was fairly young. I've learnt life skills through footy, I reckon I've learnt more through footy than going to school in regards to life skills and things like that.

"The other thing footy done, it probably helped save my life in a way. I was off the rails and footy gave me a focus and played a big part in getting my life in order I suppose.

"I owe footy a lot that's for sure."

Lenon indicated he is likely to stay involved at Marrar next season in a different capacity.

"It's depending on who's coaching but I'm certainly happy enough to help out," he said.

"The thing is when you're not coaching, you don't have the full-on commitment. I've loved the club, it's a fantastic club with a great culture and obviously whoever takes over is going to be coaching a great club."

Lenon has been at Marrar for six years, five seasons and two premierships. They were denied an opportunity at the 2021 flag due to COVID after a dominant home and away season and have lost just nine games during his time at the club.

"I think the time's right. Six years, I've loved every minute at Marrar, they're a fantastic club and we've had a brilliant ride, obviously we've had success and it's been absolutely brilliant to be apart of, everyone's been on the same page," he said.

"Don't worry the last two years with the COVID were tough. 2020 we never played at all but that as a coach, you didn't really get a break, we had a couple of pre-seasons that year, there was still a chance we were going to play so you were still retaining players, recruiting, we done two pre-seasons in one, you're still heavily involved, it wasn't like you had 12 months off or anything like that.

"Then 2021, we put ourselves in a strong position and it was really disappointing, especially for the playing group, not to get the opportunity that year. They had worked really hard and put themselves in a really strong position and then to not get a chance at finishing the year off was tough as well.

"It's six years and I just think it's a good time."

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