TWO of the club's best players may have left, but Benalla All Blacks are determined to remain a force in the Ovens and King Football League in 2012.
Coach Ben Wapling confirmed the departures of star brothers Duane and Drew Haebich, with the pair returning to their home club of Tungamah in the Picola and District Football League.
The losses shape as a massive blow for the Panthers, with Duane winning the club's best and fairest this year and booting 190 goals in his two seasons at the club, while Drew provided plenty of muscle and leadership in the middle.
But while Wapling was upset at losing the pair, he couldn't question their reasons.
"In the end it was family-driven," Wapling said.
"They lost someone special to them, and they felt they needed to be around their family, and Tungamah is their home club.
"I'm shattered to lose them, but I can completely understand their reasons.
"Brush (Duane) has been extremely helpful to me over the past two years, and in one sense he really wanted to stay and finish the job.
"He felt there would be people who think he is letting them down, but he said his heart wasn't in it, so I wasn't going to stand in his way.
"I wish them all the best, and hopefully one day we can get them back here again."
But while the star pair will leave a void, Wapling said others were standing in line to take up the slack.
"One thing we have at our club is a lot of goal kickers," he said.
"You look at Tarrawingee they lost a hundred goal kicker in Sessions and came out the next year and won the flag.
By - SCOTT ANDERSON.
ON THE MOVE: Duane 'Brush' Haebich is headed back to Tungamah.
Last Modified on 15/11/2011 17:28
