ADELAIDE has appointed fitness guru and former high-flyer Brett Burton as the club's head of football.
Burton – known as "Birdman" for the spectacular marks he took during his 12-year playing career with the Crows – steps into the role that has been vacant since David Noble joined the Brisbane Lions at the end of the season.
Burton was a fitness coach at the Lions for five years before he returned to the Crows last year as the club's general manager of high performance.
Regarded as one of the nice guys of football during his playing days, Burton said coaching had taught him how to have frank and honest conversations with players.
"In the (position description) as fitness coach, you need to be a bit of a prick, so I've developed that capability over the last six years," Burton said.
"Any tough discussion is built on relationship and the development of trust within a group.
"I think that's the basis of any discussion, it comes down to constant dialogue."
The Crows conducted a thorough search before appointing Burton earlier this week.
Burton, who played 177 AFL matches for the Crows from 1999-2010, offers a wealth of administrative and high performance experience, having previously worked at the Lions and served as president of the AFL Players Association.
He is also a member of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee.
"I think I'm well positioned to do the role, I've got a broad background," Burton said.
"In the last three or four years I've had aspirations.
"I've done parts of the role in my previous role at Brisbane at times.
"Obviously it's arrived early, but I feel I'm really well placed to take on the role and take on the challenge."
Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan described Burton as a strategic and innovative thinker who had forged strong relationships inside the club and across the League.
"Brett has an incredible work ethic, outstanding communication skills and a thorough understanding of the industry from a playing, high-performance and administrative perspective," Fagan said.
"We worked our way through a long and talented list of prospective candidates from across the AFL and beyond, and quite simply Brett presented himself as a compelling option for the role.
"He is widely regarded as having the attributes to be one of the industry's leading football administrators.”
Matt Hass will fill the general manager high performance role vacated by Burton.
Hass joins the club from the Lions where he has worked since 2008 and most recently served as physical performance coordinator.
"It's been the fastest promotion in history," Burton said.
"He's been here for a week and he's been elevated from head of strength to general manager of high performance.
"We're really excited by him coming in and add his own elements to the program and take it to a new level."
