Koroit premiership ruckman Jeremy Hausler retires from football

Ruckman Jeremy Hausler - a beacon of consistency across his decorated Hampden league career - has retired.

The resilient footballer is one of only two players, along with defender Dallas Mooney, to feature in the Saints' seven straights flags (2014-22).

His departure leaves a hole in the Saints' ruck stocks.

Forward Jarrod Korewha, who often switched with Hausler, has had off-season shoulder surgery and will be unavailable until mid-year at the earliest.

Koroit, which will be without league leading goal-kicker Sam Dobson (St Mary's), expects former skipper Brett Harrington (achilles) and Dylan McCutcheon (shoulder) to have delayed starts following surgery too.

Koroit coach Chris McLaren heaped praise on Hausler, whose reliability and consistency was crucial to the Saints' successful run.

"It (his retirement) was not a shock or a surprise, it probably would've been a shock or a surprise if he had decided to play," he said.

"He's been a superstar for us and will be extremely difficult to replace but people can't play forever."

McLaren said Hausler "dominated in the ruck" and was "so dangerous when he went forward".

"Two things (stood out) to me - one was how he played in big games and his resilience," he said.

"He's had a few injuries along the way, he's played sore along the way but he's always performed, always fronted up and very rarely missed multiple games (in a row) and he shouldered a lot of the ruck load."

McLaren said Koroit would be a new-look side in 2023. "Jack Block played at times in the ruck last year and was really competitive and Jag McInerney is moving home," he said.

"He's in Darwin. He's Luke's son whose still eligible for under 18.5s but he's six-foot-five. He'll be someone we'll look to use and we have Will Black in the reserves who is a big fella. It will pose some challenges for us without Jezza but you're always preparing for life without your senior players."

McLaren said Koroit, which has a new president in Brett Madden who has replaced Steve Hoy, understood change was inevitable.

The experienced leader is embracing the challenge.

"We're in a position that essentially no other team has been in, given what the players have achieved over a nine-year period with two years off (for COVID-19) and they worked just as hard in those two years off as they did in the other years," he said.

"We're really mindful of those players who are in their 30s now with young families and work that footy is an outlet and an enjoyment for them, not a chore or a challenge, and if that (means) late starts then that's what we do.

"Half a year out of someone we value really highly as a player or a person is much better than no footy."

Koroit starts its premiership defence against Cobden on April 1.

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