INCOMING Leeton-Whitton coach Sam Darley says he's looking forward to taking over the reins at the Crows for the next two years, quashing reports he was considering a return to the VFL.
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An article this week suggested the 27-year-old, who captained Richmond Tigers to the 2017 VFL grand final, was considering a return to the VFL next year with Port Melbourne.
But the former Western Bulldogs and Greater Western Sydney AFL player said he is fully committed to being at the Crows in 2021 and 2022.
"I had a conversation with that journalist a few weeks ago, but things have obviously since progressed with Leeton and that story was published later than I thought it would be," Darley said.
"I said to Dave (Meline, Crows football operations manager) to not stress about that, nothing's changed from my end in terms of where I'm going to be next year."
Darley had hoped to play a few games for Leeton-Whitton this year despite being contracted to North Hobart, but COVID-19 put paid to those hopes.
He said a brief visit to Leeton last year convinced him now was the right time to return to coaching after being at the helm of North Shore in the Geelong Football League for a year.
"Knowing Daniel and a lot of other Tassie boys there (like Bryce O'Garey and Matt Rainbird) they can't speak highly enough of the club," Darley said.
"We came up for a visit before COVID and I was blown away with the environment it seemed to be.
"My partner is a police officer in Geelong and she's not going to have an opportunity like this to have 12 months or so of maternity leave to use. For us it's a little adventure with our first child on the way too.
"We thought why not, and everyone from Tassie who has gone up there has stayed a lot longer than they anticipated.
"That speaks volumes of the place itself, these guys went up there to play for a couple of years and have stayed for five or six.
"I've been wanting to coach again anyway, it's something I was passionate about after captaining Richmond and after the Tigers gave me a fair bit of control over the group, it was the next progression.
"The circumstances weren't right before ut this opportunity is perfect timing."
Darley said he will be cheering from afar when the Crows look to secure an AFL Riverina Championship grand final berth against Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong on Saturday.
"Daniel was a bit bullish about their chances to start but he didn't want to get too carried away with things," Darley said.
"In higher levels I'd play half-back, but in the comp up there I'd prefer to be in the guts of things in the midfield."
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