Koroit centre-half forward Sam Dobson to depart, signs with St Mary's

Dobson, who was Hampden league's leading goalkicker this year with 88 majors, is relocating with partner Emily-Rose, Koroit's open netball co-captain, to Geelong for a work opportunity.

Dobson, a myotherapist, said the opportunity was too good to pass up.

"A month ago I was going to be living and playing down here," he said. "It's only the past two to two-and-a-half weeks a door has opened for me and we're jumping at it."

Dobson, who is believer in playing in the town he lives in, has signed with former club St Mary's, also nicknamed the Saints, whom he played for from 2016-18. He said Emily-Rose, who has won multiple flags at Koroit, would likely play at the club as well.

The centre-half-forward said he had unfinished business at the Kardinia Park-based club and hoped to experience premiership success with St Mary's, which is looking to defend its 2022 flag.

"I didn't win a flag up there and the people at the footy club did a lot for me," he said. "I felt like I kind of owed them to give it another crack."

Dobson, who returned for a second stint at Koroit in 2019, said he had enjoyed his time at the club.

"If this is it, I'll always consider myself a Koroit player," he said. "The reason I enjoy it is the people there.

"Playing with my mates and helping out the community in any way I can, playing forward for my team, helping them win a premiership, it was good."

Dobson is confident the Saints can carry on their winning ways without him.

"They've got such a good spread of talent across all areas," he said. "I don't think me going out is going to impact that much. And they've got multiple avenues to goal.

"I don't see why they can't win it again."

Koroit senior coach Chris McLaren said while it was disappointing to lose both Sam and Emily-Rose from the club next season, it supported and wished them well in their new opportunity.

"People like Sam, clearly as a player but more importantly as a person, you never want to lose those people," he said.

McLaren said the club would look at how best to cover the loss of its centre-half-forward and leading goal-kicker, whether that be changing the way it played or who made up its forward line.

"You get a bit of an idea in your head at what it might look like," he said. "Obviously our job is more difficult without him (Sam).

"You just look at your strengths as a team and they might lie in your small forwards, that may change the way you play or set up."

McLaren said a departure also offered opportunity for other players to step up.

"Whether that's a midfielder or defender going forward, which allows (another) defender to come in," he said. "We probably felt there was four or five senior guys who well and truly deserved to be in the (grand final) team."

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