Garry Hocking will step down as coach of Leopold at the end of the 2024 season despite having two years to run on his contract.
The Geelong great, who guided the Lions to their second GFNL premiership last year after reaching the previous year’s grand final in his first year in charge, has told the club he will finish up due to family and work reasons.
He is the second coach after St Albans mentor Alex Tortora to pull the pin with a contract for beyond this year.
Hocking extended his deal until the end of 2026 late last year.
“We cannot thank Garry enough for his contribution over the past three seasons both on and off the field,” Leopold president Aaron Verlin said in a statement just released on social media.
“The LFNC was blessed being able to bring someone with his wealth of experience as a player and coach to lead and develop our playing group.
“From the day Garry walked into the club he was driven to improve performance, to ensure Leopold was competing at the pointy end of the season across all grades.
“Season 2023 highlighted this with all three senior sides (seniors, reserves, and under-18s) making a preliminary final or better, capped off by winning the 2023 senior premiership.”
The 55-year-old played 274 matches for the Cats, which at his retirement was the third-most in club history behind 300-gamers Ian Nankervis and Sam Newman.
Hocking’s coaching resume is highlighted by assistant coaching stints at Port Adelaide and Collingwood.
During his time with the Power, he served four matches as head coach following the 2012 sacking of Matthew Primus.
Hocking joined Leopold in 2022, taking the club from a ninth-placed finish under Jason Tom in the Covid-shortened 2021 season to a grand final despite finishing fifth on the ladder.
The Lions were no match for St Mary’s on grand final day, losing by 45 points.
Leopold again came from an elimination final in 2023 to reach the decider, gaining some small revenge on the Saints in the preliminary final before putting away South Barwon by 50 points in the decider.
Following round’s narrow two-point win over Colac at Central Reserve, the Lions sit third on the GFNL ladder with a 10-4 win-loss record.
Following a return meeting with South on the second weekend of the split round next Saturday, August 10, they face St Albans, North Shore and Newtown & Chilwell to round out the home-and-away season.
Leopold joins the Supersaints, Colac and Lara in officially starting the search for a new leader for 2025.
With Damien McMahon out of contract, Newtown & Chilwell is understood to be preparing to advertise its position.
North Shore has also put a panel together to find its next coach, with Darren Winter open to stepping aside if the right candidate can be found.,
X: @krockfootball
