The Bloods on Sunday announced Kenna, a mutiple Warrnambool and District league premiership coach at Kolora-Noorat, had been re-signed for the 2022 Hampden league campaign.

He steered Terang Mortlake - one of the youngest teams in the league - to an eighth-place finish in 2021.

Clarke said the Bloods were delighted to sew up Kenna as coach for at least another season.

"We're definitely pleased to have him. Like all coaches he was working under pretty trying circumstances in 2021," he said.

"He joined for 2020 before it was cancelled (due to COVID-19) and I think he probably feels like there's unfinished business there."

Clarke said Terang Mortlake was highly competitive in large parts of the season and felt it was trending in the right direction.

"We had a terrific win against Port Fairy in our last game and we led against Portland and Warrnambool at three-quarter time," he said.

"We also led Camperdown at half-time in round one. Without getting ahead of ourselves, we weren't too far from having half-a-dozen or so wins.

"We feel like we've got a young, developing group that's building."

Clarke said Kenna's directness and ability to lead through example was one of his greatest strengths as a coach.

"He doesn't waste words," he said.

"You're not left wondering. As a player he definitely led by example and he's done that on and off the field.

"He just strives to get the best out of young blokes and likes to see them getting to the highest level they can."

He praised the wider Hampden league community for their persistence and drive to push through the stop-start season.

MORE TO COME

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.