JASON "Rocky" Wright is bowing out of senior footy in 2015 but can take many fond memories of the 2014 season with him.
He was president and player-coach as the Warwick Redbacks club won its inaugural Darling Downs first-division premiership with victory against University at Rockville Oval.
Wright will remain president to the club annual general meeting on November 23 and won't be seeking another season as coach.
"I plan to help out next season but not in any official capacity, my son Dawson is playing juniors and I want to assist the younger players," he said.
"For the past 20 years, I have put the footy club first and I will now spend more time gardening, going away with the family and enjoying life away from footy."
This month, he was recognised with the "State Award 2014 for outstanding long service to the game".
"I have been involved as a player for 35 years, was a boundary umpire at age 12, picked up rocks on a new field in Mackay at 14 and coached in the same year," he said.
"I had no idea what the award was when it was presented to me."
AFL Darling Downs vice-president Trevor Green said the award was the most prestigious in the state.
"Rocky was recognised by his peers and by AFL Queensland for his contribution to our code and the growth of football in the Warwick area," Green said.
"Rocky is a highly respected delegate to AFL Darling Downs, he has been the coach in Warwick and the AFL Darling Downs senior representative coach.
"He has virtually done everything in AFL on the Darling Downs. Ultimately the premiership Warwick won rounded it out."
Redbacks assistant coach Nick Barker said the award was well deserved.
"Rocky is a bit of an icon for the sport on the Darling Downs, everyone knows him," Barker said.
"He and I were opposition coaches last year but we developed a friendship just because he is an absolute gentleman of the sport.
"At the grand final, a lot of the crowd which wasn't from Warwick wanted to see Rocky coach the Redbacks to victory. It was meant to be that he kicked the first goal in the grand final.
Article featured in Warwick Daily News 31st October 2014
Last Modified on 20/11/2014 16:53
