RIVERINA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
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RIVERINA Football League reigning premier Coolamon will enter its premiership defence without best-and-fairest winner Murray Stephenson.
The Hoppers' key defender yesterday confirmed his move interstate where he will leave on Tuesday to link up with South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Central District.
Stephenson has been in talks with SANFL giant since late last season but has found employment and will sign with the club next week.
The loss of Stephenson is a big blow to the Hoppers' premiership defence and continues an alarming drain of quality players out of the RFL for this season.
Stephenson cannot wait for the challenge ahead.
"I'm a little bit nervous but it should be good," Stephenson said yesterday.
"As long as I put in the work on the track, hopefully a bit of luck comes my way."
The 21-year-old took his game to new heights last year where he was rewarded with Coolamon's best and fairest award and a premiership.
Stephenson played a game with Greater Western Sydney's reserve grade team in 2012 and is an RFL representative player.
Stephenson said the opportunity to better his football at Central District was too good to refuse.
"I'm ready to take the step up and play at a higher level," Stephenson said.
"I'm still young and it's a good time for it.
"It's a big opportunity but there is a lot of hard work to be done."
Stephenson was one of Coolamon's best in the grand final win over Collingullie-Ashmont-Kapooka and was only one vote behind Jake Wiggers in the official best-on-ground voting.
He said the premiership victory confirmed the move in his mind.
"I reckon if we didn't win it last year then I would have stayed one more year to try and get one," Stephenson said.
"But we won it so it made sense to go.
"It's always tough leaving and I've never had to leave a club before so leaving Coolamon after the success we've had and with all my mates there, was tough.
"This is what's best for me and my footy though so I'm looking forward to it."
Stephenson follows Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong ruckman Jacob Olsson to Central District this off-season and join fellow RFL talent Luke Habel and Sam Milne at the club.
He said it will be good to link up with the fellow Riverina footballers, all of whom he is mates with, "even though they're Ganmain boys".
Stephenson is the Hoppers' biggest loss of the off-season to go with the departure of Ben Cadzow and retirement of James McKenzie.
Coolamon has countered the losses with arguably the biggest gain of the off-season in the recruitment of outgoing Tuggeranong coach Peter McGrath.