LEON Cameron has resigned from his seven-year position at the Western Bulldogs to join Hawthorn as an assistant coach.

Hawthorn has not confirmed whether Cameron will have different responsibilities to John Barker, who left the club earlier this month after two years in charge of the forward line.

Cameron, 38, played 256 AFL games for the Bulldogs and Richmond, and joined the Dogs' coaching staff soon after his retirement in 2003.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said he was very pleased to have attracted Cameron to Waverley.

"Leon is an outstanding coach and has a great understanding of the modern game and its various game styles," Clarkson told hawthornfc.com.au.

"He is a great addition to our coaching team and I know he, like me, is already looking forward to pre-season and getting stuck into a fresh challenge.

"We've tracked Leon's coaching career for a period of time and his credentials are impressive. Leon will make a great member of our coaching panel."

Cameron, who became Rodney Eade's senior assistant coach at the Dogs and was responsible for the midfield group, recently dismissed his mooted move to Hawthorn as "innuendo".

Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the club was disappointed to lose Cameron, who had also formally applied for the senior Port Adelaide position won by Matthew Primus.

"While it is disappointing to lose a person of Leon's calibre, I sincerely wish him all the best," he said.

"Leon has been an important member of our coaching staff and he will be sorely missed by everyone at the club.

"We will now begin looking at candidates to fulfil Leon's role and we will make an announcement in due course."