Peter Riccardi has labelled as “pretty easy” his decision to re-sign as coach of GDFNL contender North Geelong for the next two years.
Helping Riccardi in committing until at least the end of 2027 at Keith Barclay Oval is the move to elevate assistant Keegan Carr to co-coach alongside the experienced mentor.
“At the end of the day, at my age, I don’t really want to start again anywhere else,” Riccardi told K rock Football.
“And with the help of Keegan, I do a little bit less, and he does a little bit more.”
Riccardi, who joined the Magpies ahead of the 2024 season, says Carr has been co-coach in everything but the title over the past two years.
“He sees the game really well. He’s got different ideas, which is good,” Riccardi said. “And he’s a dead-set footy nuffy; absolutely loves it.
“To be honest, it seems like a co-coaching thing without him heading the group, but behind the scenes, he does a lot.
“We’re always talking to one another, so it’s just so easy, and we’re pretty much on the same page.
“I coached him at North Shore. Whether he’s taken a bit of that on board, and 30 years ago when I was at the Cats and ‘Carry’ (Keegan’s dad Brian) was the bootstudder, I was taking Keegan home from the footy club.
“It’s a match made in heaven, to tell you the truth.”
The announcement of Riccardi’s re-signing is a shot-in-the-arm for North ahead of a meeting with second-placed East Geelong, which is riding an eight-match winning streak.
After starting the season with eight consecutive wins, the Magpies have dropped from first to third following losses to Thomson, Belmont Lions, and Bell Post Hill in the month since the King’s Birthday break.
“With a young group, you could see they were tiring and we were getting a lot of injuries at the same time,” Riccarid said.
But, potentially, we get six or seven back this week, which will be handy.
“They’re quality players; Ben O’Brien, Oscar (Riccardi), Jasper (George), Terry (Tseros), Cooper Pasque, maybe Charlie Farrell. Yep.
“We’re missing a core group. But in saying that, there’s no excuse for the way we performed a couple of weeks ago.
“Bell Post Hill was just too good in the end.”
North Geelong has also announced the re-signing of Paddy Cleary, Thomas, Schwennesen, Cooper Vaughan, and GDFNL representative Jacsen Jewell.
X: @krockfootball
