Pekin will be the head coach of the senior football side for a fourth year, while Close stays on as an assistant coach for a second year, after he moved into the role prior to the 2020 season.

Pekin said it was a "no-brainer" for him to re-sign at the club.

"Having this year as a non-football year, we decided why not try to keep things the same and keep things rolling," he said.

"As long as everyone was happy for me to do it again, I was happy to do it.

"It really was an easy decision."

Close's brother Simon Close meanwhile has stepped away from the assistant coaching role.

"Simon has just had his first child and might not have been able to give as much time as he wants to the role," Pekin said.

"But he'll certainly be around the club.

"And at this stage, we're leaving Simon's position open for another assistant."

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Pekin said player retention was now the club's top priority as they build toward 2021.

"As we are still the reigning premiers, we are the hunted, and blokes will try to knock us off left, right and centre," he said.

"We don't blame other clubs for trying to pinch our good players, that's all part of it. But that's what we're trying to sure up now."

Pekin said it was disappointing that some talented youngsters had missed out on a full season of senior football in 2020.

"We will possibly lose three or four young blokes that will likely go to uni," he said.

"Guys like Sam McDonald, Mitch Grant, Harry Robertson ... those were blokes that were going to have a really solid year in the seniors.

"They unfortunately do lose a fair bit of development missing out this year, which is a real shame.

"We don't know until the end of the year I guess, but that is how it is looking."

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