QUEANBEYAN Blues' long serving player, committee member and coach Dean Edwards has hung up his boots after 14 years of coaching, following his under 16s side's 44-16 grand final loss last Sunday.
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Edwards admitted it would have been nice to have gone out with a win at Canberra Stadium in the zone 1 clash, having decided his future months ago, but said it was "time to do other things" after committing so much time to the club.
"I've been with the club since I was about five years old, and I've been coaching now for about 14 years, but I've hung it up," Edwards said.
"I did about a dozen years on the committee too...I've loved every minute of my time with the Blues, but it's time to move on and do other stuff."
Despite losing the grand final with his under 16s, Edwards was happy with their season overall, which wielded a second place finish and three Canberra Raiders Harold Matthews under 16s representative players.
Forwards Josh Stuckey, Francis Soakai Tai and Jacob Field were each selected by the Raiders, but Field had to pull out with an injury.
Edwards said each of these young men were in the eyes of senior coaching at the club, and he expected to see them take their games even further next season.
"Jacob Field was probably our best player for the year, but unfortunately and injury knocked him out of the representative squad," Edwards said.
"Sokai Tai and Josh Stuckey are both players that will go and do something in senior footy next year...They've all played under 18s this year as well, and they all played good footy for them as well."
Edwards said a two year head start in the under 18s would benefit these players looking forward.