Premiership winning coach Jade Hodge has returned to Leeton-Whitton with him set to take on the director of coaching role next season

Hodge has spent the last two seasons at Coleambally and was looking forward to heading back to the Crows in an off-field role.

"Yeah it's a club that I have got a bit of history with," Hodge said.

"I live in the town and I'm looking forward to getting back and helping out where I can."

Hodge's role will encompass assisting all levels of the football club from junior to senior with him especially looking to help develop the Crows' emerging talent.

"It will be a bit of overseeing all the coaches from the juniors all the way to the senior footy club," he said.

"Last year there was a lot of young kids, so I will have a fair bit of focus on developing those guys."

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While playing all of last season with the Blues, Hodge declared that he had no intention of pulling on the boots next year.

"I don't intend on playing," he said.

"I spent most of the time last season just trying to get the body right to play on the weekend and you get to a certain age and you can't do certain things anymore.

"I think it is a good time with a young family just to take a step back from playing and I've got a passion for coaching.

"I did a bit with the Giants last year in the junior development side and Leeton have got some good young juniors coming through.

"It's a good chance for me to spend some more time in that role and try and fast track some development there."

The Crows went win-less in 2022 and while Hodge isn't expecting a rapid change overnight he believes that the potential is there for them to be a formidable side in the next couple of seasons.

"With young kids you are not going to win a premiership overnight," he said.

"But I see some really good signs with the young kids they have got there at the moment.

"If we can really hone in on developing those guys and setting up a program that helps them succeed then I think long term the club is going to be in a really good position.

"Obviously no one likes to finish where they finished last year, but there is some really good signs there and Grover (Tom Groves) has been doing a fantastic job.

"It'll just be me helping him out and all the other coaches to try and set up a program that will best suit those young kids coming through."

After being the man to lead the Crows to their first premiership in 39 years in 2017, Hodge said it was great to be able to give back to the club.

"I was going to step away and I did have a few offers to coach, but just where I'm at with the young family I can't really commit full time," he said.

"But after having a chat to Leeton there is some definite areas where I can work and there is a little bit of flexibility there for myself.

"I love the club, they brought me to the town and I'm married to a local girl now and have got two young girls here.

"The footy club is what brought me to the town from Tassie and they've given me a lot, so I think it's time to give a little bit back."

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