Shannon Motlop is under no illusions about the tough job he has ahead of him as inaugural coach of new Northern Territory Football League Premier League team PINT.
Motlop was appointed as the Greenants' coach in May after initially expressing no interest to return to senior coaching.
"PINT approached me to see if I'd be interested and once we had that chat about getting back into footy, I was back on board," Motlop told SEN Top End.
"I wasn't really keen on going back into coaching, but now that it has happened, I am happy to be involved with senior footy in the NT."
The PINT Football Club was established in 1982 as a participating team in the inaugural Northern Territory Football Association, later known as the Top End Australian Football Association.
The club joined the NTFL as part of the merger and has achieved sustained success at Division One level in the past decade.
Motlop said he was staying realistic about on-field expectations during this first season.
"I am aiming to finish as high as we can, but at the same time we have to be realistic because we're taking a step up and it's going to be pretty tough," he said.
"This is unchartered territory for a few of the boys and we need to do some recruiting as well."
There is a family connection at PINT, with Shannon's father Eddie playing for the club during the mid-1990s.
Shannon's younger brother Steven was expected to be announced as the club's marquee recruit, but the coach has put a halt on the former AFL player pulling on a green and gold jumper.
"Steven decided he is going to take the season off and not play for anyone," Motlop said.
"We did at one point have him at PINT, but he's got some surgery booked in for his shoulder and I think that is going to take up a lot of the NTFL season.
"That's where that is at - I am glad it's over because I am sick of talking about Steven."
NTFL clubs, particularly PINT and Wanderers, have been locked in a tug-of-war for the former Geelong and Port Adelaide player's signature.
Motlop played 217 games and kicked 229 goals across a 13-year career at the top level.
He was a junior at Wanderers and has regularly supported the club during the AFL off season, but was recently tipped to make a move to the Greenants.
"Everyone was chasing Steven, except for me - I wasn't having conversations with him about coming to PINT - I knew how hard a decision it was going to be, and as his brother, I left him alone," Motlop said.
Shannon's brother Daniel (reserves) and sister Lauren Motlop (Women's Premier League) are also expected to play for PINT this season.
Story by Jackson Clark
