Outgoing Geelong West coach Greg Mellor says it is the “right time for everyone” after confirming the 2025 season will be his last as coach of the GFNL club.
Mellor revealed to K rock Football that he wouldn’t seek reappointment for next year following the Giants’ one-point comeback win over Grovedale at West Oval on Sunday.
“This will be the last year,” he said.
“I spoke to the club at the start of the year that I thought this would be the (last year),
“I just felt like it’s the right time for everyone. It’s time for the players to have a new voice.
“(I’ve) got my sons and their mates coming through, and I think it’s just time.
“Time for the club to find the next person to take us to the next step.”
A great of SANFL club West Adelaide, where he played 198 games and served as captain, Mellor also spent five years as a development coach of Richmond between 2012-16.
He joined Geelong West ahead of the 2018 season as the replacement for Andy Viola, but wasn’t a stranger to the GFNL after serving as interim co-coach of St Albans during the second half of 2017.
After two rebuilding years before Covid hit, the Giants returned with some impressive recruits and emerging youngsters to post a 7-4 record in the truncated 2021 season, sitting fifth on the ladder when play for the year was halted.
West then went 9-9 and 10-8 over the following two seasons, but were unable to break a drought stretching back to Geelong West-St Peter’s most recent finals appearance in 2008.
With Sunday’s victory keeping the Giants in touch with the top five heading into the second half of the season, Mellor is optimistic they can make a charge towards September.
“That’s what we’re playing for,” he said.
“We’ll come up against a really strong Newtown side next week; we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“It feels like only about four weeks ago we played them last time, but we’re looking forward to it; matching up against them and see if we can work on a few different things.”
First-year Geelong West chairperson Scott Meddings paid tribute to Mellor, who he says “drove the culture” during the early stages of the Geelong West-St Peter’s and Geelong West Sporting Club alignment under the Giants banner.
“I don’t want to take away from what Greg’s delivered for Geelong West,” Meddings said.
“He’s been an absolute leader for all of these people.
“I just congratulate Greg on what he’s contributed. It’s been amazing”
Meddings confirmed the search for Mellor’s replacement is underway.
“There’s a group of people looking at that and working out what the club needs and the next step,” he said.
X: @krockfootball
