Sills, co-coach with Sam Griffin in 2019 and this season, had a meeting with Valentine officials on Saturday where he said they parted amicably. Valentine are last on one point. They finished second last in 2019 and with the wooden spoon in 2018.

"Results just haven't gone our way and the club has decided to go in a different direction, which is fair enough," Sills said.

Griffin was not at the meeting, but it's likely he will continue as a sole head coach.

"I've got a meeting with the club on Tuesday to see how we go forward for the rest of the year," Griffin said.

"It's one of those things that's a bit dividing because I'm pretty loyal to Sillsy, but there's also another 20 blokes there who I'm loyal to.

"It's been my team for a while and I'd be pretty disappointed if they went in another direction, but until Tuesday I don't really know."

Valentine president Richard Dear said the club would discuss options at training on Tuesday. He said they would ask for expressions of interest in the top job and hoped to make an appointment soon to help preparations for 2021.

He said it was difficult to end Sills' tenure, which started in 2016 when the club returned to the top division.

"He was quite emotional, but that shows his passion," he said. "He puts his heart and soul into it. He's gone over and above the job."

"Darren has been very good to us and he's a lovely man. He's been an asset to the club.

"We were expecting quite a lot this year and it hasn't happened, but COVID plays in that a bit. But we're not making excuses and neither is he. It was a very difficult thing to do, but he took it well."

Valentine finished eighth in 2016. In 2017, with the help of American striker Jalon Brown, they were a top-two side before fading late in the season to finish fifth.

Without Brown, Valentine slid to last in 2018 and second last in 2019. This year, Valentine signed big-name recruits Danny Ireland, Adam Hughes and Alex Read to help fix their defensive woes but the side have managed just one point, from a 2-2 draw with Olympic - who came back from 2-0 down with 10 men.

"People are going to say he's done nothing with some quality players, and that's true," Sills said.

"We can always use this virus as an excuse, but if you bring half a dozen guys in, you need to be playing every week and getting going, and we haven't been able to do that, and it's all come to the crunch.

"We've had a hard draw with top-four sides and Olympic at Darling Street.

"We haven't had the easiest of starts so hopefully whoever they get will come in and do well. They are a good bunch of blokes and good players, and that's the bit I'll miss the most - those blokes.

"You don't get the opportunity too often to be head coach for five years so that's not a bad stint."

Valentine were scheduled to play Adamstown in round five on Sunday but those matches were postponed on Friday because of Rosebud players across several teams having to isolate after links with confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The Olympic-Maitland clash at Darling Street Oval was also postponed on Saturday. Several Olympic players across their grades had to isolate because of COVID-19 links.

The reserve grade and under-18 games were postponed late on Friday and first grade followed on Saturday.

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