After a busy off-season, we look at the coaches in charge at all 18 clubs
ADELAIDE
SENIOR COACH Brenton Sanderson (third season)
ASSISTANTS Mark Bickley (forwards), Scott Camporeale (midfield), Darren Milburn (defence), Dean Bailey (strategy and innovation), Heath Younie (SANFL coach).
BRISBANE LIONS
SENIOR COACH Justin Leppitsch (first season)
ASSISTANTS Simon Black (forwards), Murray Davis (defence), Mitch Hahn (development), Leigh Harding (development/NEAFL coach), Shane Woewodin (midfield)
HEAD OF COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT Peter Schwab
INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Gary O'Donnell
CARLTON
SENIOR COACH Mick Malthouse (second season)
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING Rob Wiley
ASSISTANTS Dean Laidley (midfield), John Barker (defence), Brad Green (forwards), Matthew Capuano (development, ruck), Michael Osborne (development), Luke Webster (development, Northern Blues VFL coach)
COLLINGWOOD
SENIOR COACH Nathan Buckley (third season)
ASSISTANTS Robert Harvey (senior assistant), Ben Hart (defence), Scott Burns (midfield), Matthew Lappin (forwards), Dale Tapping (VFL coach), Steve Grace (backline development), Tarkyn Lockyer (midfield development), Anthony Rocca (forwards development)
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT Craig McRae
ESSENDON
SENIOR COACH Mark Thompson (12th season overall, first season as Essendon coach)
ASSISTANTS Simon Goodwin (senior assistant coach, midfield), Matthew Egan (defence), Nathan Bassett (forwards), James Byrne (development), Hayden Skipworth (VFL coach) HEAD OF COACHING Neil Craig
Mark Thompson and Neil Craig will guide the Bombers in James Hird's absence. Picture: AFL Media
FREMANTLE
SENIOR COACH Ross Lyon (third season at Fremantle, eighth in AFL)
ASSISTANTS Peter Sumich (forwards), Mark Stone (stoppages), Brett Kirk (midfield), Michael Prior (defence), Simon Eastaugh (rucks), Simon Lloyd (senior development coach), Marc Webb (development), Roger Hayden (development)
GEELONG
SENIOR COACH Chris Scott (fourth season)
ASSISTANTS Blake Caracella (senior assistant), Dale Amos (defence), Shane O'Bree (midfield), James Rahilly (forwards) , Nigel Lappin (development), Max Rooke (development), Matthew Knights (VFL), Paul Hood (academy co-ordinator)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
SENIOR COACH Leon Cameron (first season)
ASSISTANTS Alan McConnell (senior assistant/forwards), James McDonald (midfield), Luke Power (whole ground defence), Chad Cornes (defence), Dean Brogan (stoppage/ruck), Brett Hand (NEAFL coach), Amon Buchanan (development), Mark McVeigh (Giants Academy coach), Sam Reid (development coach)
GOLD COAST
SENIOR COACH Guy McKenna (fourth season)
ASSISTANTS Josh Fraser (development), Shaun Hart (development/NEAFL coach), Andy Lovell (development), Brett Munro (opposition), Matthew Primus (midfield), Mark Riley (forwards), Dean Solomon (defence) COACHING ADVISOR Malcolm Blight
HAWTHORN
SENIOR COACH Alastair Clarkson (10th season)
ASSISTANTS Luke Beveridge (defence), Brendon Bolton (forwards), Cameron Bruce (midfield), Damian Carroll (head of development academy), Brett Ratten (stoppages), Adem Yze (specialist skills)
MELBOURNE
SENIOR COACH Paul Roos (first season)
ASSISTANTS George Stone (midfield and strategy coach), Ben Mathews (midfield), Daniel McPherson (forwards), Jade Rawlings (defence), Brett Allison (head of development), Brad Miller (development)
Paul Roos, Ben Mathews and George Stone in conversation at Demons training. Picture: AFL Media
NORTH MELBOURNE
SENIOR COACH Brad Scott (fifth season)
ASSISTANTS Darren Crocker (stoppages and opposition analysis), Leigh Tudor (midfield), Shane Watson (forwards), Josh Drummond (defence), Ben Dyer (development manager), Gavin Brown (senior development coach), Jarred Moore (development coach)
PORT ADELAIDE
SENIOR COACH Ken Hinkley (second season)
ASSISTANTS Tyson Edwards (forwards), Josh Carr (midfield), Phil Walsh (midfield), Matthew Nicks (defence), Darren Burgess (high performance manager) Garry Hocking (SANFL coach)
RICHMOND
SENIOR COACH Damien Hardwick (fifth season)
ASSISTANTS Danny Daly (midfield and stoppage), Brendon Lade (forwards), Ross Smith (defenders and defensive actions), Mark M. Williams (head of development), Mark P. Williams (midfield spread and turnover) Tim Clarke (VFL senior coach), Greg Mellor (development/VFL backline), Max Bailey (development/VFL forward line), Andrew McQualter (development/VFL midfield)
COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Tim Livingston
ST KILDA
SENIOR COACH Alan Richardson (first season)
ASSISTANTS Adam Kingsley (midfield), Danny Sexton (midfield), Aaron Hamill (forwards), David Teague (defence), Simon McPhee (Sandringham VFL coach), Paul O'Connell (opposition analyst). Still to be appointed: academy manager, development coach
SYDNEY SWANS
SENIOR COACH John Longmire (fourth season)
ASSISTANTS John Blakey (defence), Stuart Dew (strategy and midfield), Henry Playfair (forwards), Jared Crouch (development), Martin Mattner (midfield), Josh Francou (football development manager)
WEST COAST
SENIOR COACH Adam Simpson (first season)
ASSISTANTS Justin Longmuir (forwards), Don Pyke (strategy/stoppages/structure), Adrian Hickmott (defence), Brady Rawlings (midfield), Gavin Bell (head of development), Jaymie Graham (forward/rucks development), Adam Selwood (midfield development), Daniel Pratt (defence development)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
SENIOR COACH Brendan McCartney (third season)
ASSISTANTS Steven King (midfield/ruck), Shannon Grant (forward line), Rohan Smith (defence), Brett Montgomery (strategy and opposition), Ashley Hansen (development), Joel Corey (development), Chris Maple (VFL coach), Cameron Mooney (specialist), Matthew Scarlett (specialist)
Adam Simpson will take charge at West Coast in 2014 after assisting at Hawthorn. Picture: AFL Media
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Be part of AFL Opening Round to kick-off the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in QLD. March 6-9. Brisbane Lions host Geelong at the GABBA and Gold Coast SUNS take on Essendon at People First Stadium.