THE Bendigo Football Club is without a senior coach after Shannon Grant resigned yesterday and took up an assistant coaching position with the Western Bulldogs.Grant was employed by Essendon as the club’s development coach and senior coach of the Bendigo Bombers.He took the club to two finals series in his two years in charge.His resignation come less than a week after the BFC announced it would stay aligned with Essendon for one more season before forming a stand-alone VFL club.Grant was to stay senior coach for 2012.BFC chairman David Joss said Grant’s replacement would come from Essendon’s coaching panel.“We’ll work jointly with Essendon to find a coach for the 2012 season,’’ Joss said.“We then make a decision as to whether that coach goes with Essendon in 2013 or comes to Bendigo.“Most likely he’d go to Essendon and we’ll continue what we’re doing and try and find a coach for 2013.”Joss said Grant’s efforts with the Bendigo Bombers shouldn’t be underestimated.“Shannon has been great for our footy club and his record speaks for itself,’’ Joss said.“We didn’t win a game in 2009 and in Shannon’s two seasons we made the finals. His career projection was always about getting into the AFL coaching circles and he goes with our blessing.”Grant said it wasn’t an easy decision to leave Essendon and the Bendigo Bombers.“I tossed and turned over it for a few days,’’ Grant admitted.“In the end it was too good an offer to refuse. It’s the next step for me as far as where I want get in my coaching career.“I’m content with where Bendigo sits at the moment. “They’ve made a lot of ground in the past couple of years.” Grant worked with new Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney at Essendon this season.“Brendan has been terrific for me and my development,’’ Grant said.“He has a wealth of knowledge and a really good understanding of the game. I’m very grateful that he’s given me the opportunity to work alongside him at the Bulldogs.”McCartney said Grant will be of great support to the club’s young players.“Shannon has worked extensively at VFL level and has shown that not only is he a good coach, but he has also been able to successfully develop young players,” McCartney said. “We’re thrilled to have him as part of the Bulldogs family and look forward to him developing into a really good AFL coach.”Essendon released a statement yesterday wishing Grant good luck with his new challenge. “Everyone at the club is very pleased for Shannon to be offered this fantastic opportunity,” Essendon football operations manager Paul Hamilton said.“Shannon has been terrific for us and has worked well with our younger players over the past two years and we wish him every success for the future.”