AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
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NARRANDERA premiership captain Wes Kiley admits it was a "hard" decision to leave the Eagles for their title defence this season.
Kiley has decided to leave the Riverina Football League premier and follow Narrandera premiership player Brett Powell to Hume League club Billabong Crows.
Powell signed on as the new Billabong Crows captain-coach late last season and has convinced Kiley to join him at the club as his assistant.
Kiley served at Narrandera as captain and assistant coach last season but cited his desire to become a senior coach as the reason for his move to Billabong Crows.
"I've got ambitions to coach and they (Narrandera) were aware of that," Kiley said yesterday.
"It's going to be a real hands-on role out there (at Billabong Crows) and I really want to get into coaching, whether that be as a non-playing or playing coach, some time in the future.
"That's the main thing."
The 27-year-old has won three premierships during his time in the RFL.
He won two flags with Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong before he returned to his junior club in 2011, where he was part of the Eagles' drought-breaking premiership win last season.
Kiley said he will miss his teammates at Narrandera.
"It was hard," Kiley said of the decision.
"I love playing footy, the competitive side, and I love the social stuff there with the boys."
Kiley admits it will be a "different challenge" for he and Powell at their new club.
"It's been good so far, good numbers," Kiley said.
"They're pretty excited about things out there.
"It will be a good challenge."
Kiley and Powell will be joined by fellow Narrandera footballers Todd Carter and Lincoln Mead.
The Crows have also welcomed back former junior Alastair Austin from Vic Amateurs club University Blues.
Kiley joins Powell, Zac Williams, Tim Mathieson and Adam Sangston as the confirmed departures from last year's premiership team at Narrandera.
Meanwhile, brothers Stace and James Creasy have decided to rejoin RFL club Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes.
The pair were both part of Osborne's Hume League premiership team last year but have decided to return to the Goannas' for their centenary season.
The Goannas have recruited well over the off-season with the Creasys joining Ryan Price and Dean Ward as arrivals.
MCUE has only lost Geoff Spriggs and Luke Thompson at this stage.