Corio will have a new coach in 2027, appointing former player Shane Manning to take the role.
Devils co-president Ricky Bigham has confirmed to K rock Football that Manning, whose son Kynan plays at the club, will replace Adam Bell and Ross Gemmill, who were appointed on a one-year deal in August last year.
Bigham says Corio advertised the position, per their constitution, but claims Bell and Gemmill didn’t apply.
“For anyone that wants to coach the club, they’ve got to apply for it,” Bigham said.
“We put that out there, and they chose not to apply.
“We didn’t sack them… we let them know that we were advertising and then they didn’t apply.
“So, we moved on, (and) I had Shane Manning.”
Bigham, who has shared the presidency with club great Darren Bennett this year, says Corio was keen to have certainty for 2027 as the club goes about re-signing players.
“We just felt last year that we waited a little bit too long (to make an appointment); I think it was two weeks after the season finished before we had a coach in place,” Bigham said.
“We just felt that we wanted to tie up our own playing sooner, and then move on to trying to entice other people to come in.”
A talented junior at GFNL club Bell Park, who represented Victoria at under-16 level, Manning debuted with the Dragons as a teenager.
He also played with Geelong West GDFNL and featured in Newcomb’s 2007 premiership, kicking five goals in the grand final.
Manning also played under Power premiership coach Ricky O’Toole in a short stint at East Geelong as well as at Corio.
Most recently he coached at Bell Park, including underage and reserve grade teams, and was in a senior development role under Shane Jack.
The Devils have struggled to two victories for the season, both against the winless Geelong West, including by 89 points last week.
X: @krockfootball
