Sheehan will coach the remainder of the Warriors' 2021 campaign and plans to stay involved with the Warrnambool and District league club.

The Port Fairy butcher, 31, is dad to four-month-old Milla and wants to spend more time with her as she grows.

MORE FOOTY: Mud gate: Coach labels oval 'a disgrace' as league gives ground approval

Sheehan said he was excited to watch the young Warriors emerge in coming seasons and hoped he left an imprint on their football.

He said 10 or 11 players had made their senior debuts for the club in 2021.

"The lads I've had this year have promising futures," Sheehan said.

"They missed 12 months of footy (due to COVID-19 restrictions) and they've improved from round one to now.

"They get better each week."

He wants improvement to be the theme of his last four matches in charge.

"From where we've come from at the start of the year to now is a fair way," he said.

MORE FOOTY: Premiership Bulldog to play his 300th senior match for club

"Against Kolora-Noorat we were there for two quarters but it's just to maintain that for four quarters and keep seeing that improvement."

Sheehan, who grew up playing Hampden league for Port Fairy, joined Old Collegians for the 2019 season.

"The opportunity to coach a senior team is something I always wanted to do and I am grateful Old Collegians footy club gave me that opportunity," he said.

"It was a weird thing taking over a team that had been in three grand finals.

"We then played in a prelim, recruited well and then were washed out with COVID and have gone into a rebuilding stage.

"It's been a challenge but I'm always up for a challenge."

Sheehan, who could return to the coaching caper at some stage, will remain a regular at Davidson Oval.

"I'll still stay involved at Collegians. I am looking forward to that group coming through," he said.

"If they can recruit a few players to top up then these young kids will just grow a leg."

Old Collegians president Jason Moloney said the club was grateful for Sheehan's contribution and was happy he would remain involved in some capacity.

"That is a really good thing, good stability for our footy club," he said.

"But it (the decision) gives us an opportunity now and time to speak to people to find who could be our next senior footy coach.

"As a club we're starting to put our feelers out there to people we know who we think might be interested or suit the role."

Moloney also said those who were interested in the role could also contact the club.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.