Stawell Warriors 2018-19 coach Damian Joiner has announced his departure from the club.
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Joiner will join the Ararat Eagles in its plight to resurrect the club.
"The Eagles will be a really big challenge for everyone involved and I'm really looking forward to it," Joiner said.
"I stepped away from the position at the Warriors when the club and I were looking in different directions for the future so we mutually decided to part ways.
"I've appreciated all the opportunities the club has given me and especially the president Tim (Williams).
"I've loved my time at Stawell and it was a tough decision to walk away - not only from the coaching position but from the club itself."
Joiner said during his time at Stawell he had built a rapport with the Taurau brothers and McRoberts.
"A few years ago I said to the boys when the time came for them to go back to the Eagles I was more than happy to go with them," he said.
"It's come a few years earlier than we thought but it's a massive opportunity to not only help the club reach a competitive standard of football but to assist the club off the field get back on its feet.
"I have a massive amount of respect for those boys and the people around the club. Football clubs are the essence of country towns and it would be horrible to see a club go into recession."
Ararat Eagles struggled to field both a senior and reserves side last season with many players playing two games.
Alarm bells rang for the club only weeks out to the start of the 2019 season when crisis meetings were held.
Joiner said he was excited to get out onto the field and concentrate on "just playing football" again.
"I have been offered other coaching roles and it didn't quite appeal to me at this stage," he said.
"Obviously I will help out as much as I can and where I am needed but to concentrate on football and have a bit of fun was a big draw card to my decision.
"Players from Stawell were disappointed but they understood my decision. It wasn't about going out and chasing big money - it was helping out some footballers at a club, which is a big part of who they are as people and players."
Aiden Graveson has also signed alongside his former Warriors senior coach.
"He's looking forward to the opportunity and developing his game at a different league," Joiner said.
"He has the perfect build to develop into a quality ruckman. To step back into a league where the standard of football isn't the same as the Wimmera league, it will give him the opportunity to knuckle down and get the basics right.
"I think in the Wimmera league, playing such a key role against some seasoned ruckmans slowed down the development. He will now be up against young ruckman either just starting out like him or older players. It will allow him to develop the skills he will need to be a quality ruckman and help him in the long run."
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