Bathurst Panthers gave Claude Gordon every opportunity to stay with them in 2018 but after moving back to Dubbo he felt it wouldn’t be fair to the Group 10 club if he wasn’t available for every session.
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Gordon was a key part of the Panthers side which finished the 2017 Group 10 regular season in second place but after moving back home he opted to join Matt Naden as co-coach at Group 11 club Westside.
“To Panthers’ credit they said they’d sign me and I’d just have to be there on Thursdays (to train) and game day but that’s not fair on the boys,” he said.
“And that’s the kind of culture we want to implement here. We’ll have expectations and standards to meet.
“But I can’t say enough about Panthers. That’s the best bush footy club I’ve been a part of.”
A statement like that is a big one from a player who has as much experience as Gordon. He has represented Group 11 clubs Narromine and Dubbo Macquarie as well as Orange CYMS and Oberon Tigers in Group 10.
Despite having done so much in his career already, this marks Gordon’s first coaching appointment.
“It’s something I eventually wanted to get into,” he said.
“I didn’t expect it this early, I thought in maybe another two years or so but ‘Nado’ (Naden) and I spoke about it briefly last season before I went to Panthers.”
The Rabbitohs have a first pre-season get-together on Thursday from 6pm at Riverbank Ovals.