At North Melbourne, Brad Scott stepped into Dean Laidley's shoes and implemented a similar clean-out, leaving Tasmanian assistant David Newett out of a job.
Royal - former Footscray star and a coaching veteran of four clubs - and Newett - new to the AFL game - were victims of a new coaching landscape characterised by large departments but high turnover.
Gone are the days where senior coaches would get by with one assistant. Coaches' boxes are now filled with line coaches, assistants to line coaches and development coaches.
But none of these positions are permanent, and few stay in them for more than a few years. That means dozens of changes to the coaching ranks each year - and dozens of out-of-work coaches looking for a new gig. Some are recently retired ex-players, some are coaching journeymen who have been through a number of clubs and some have worked their way up from coaching at junior, local or country leagues.
Behind the scenes, the AFL Coaches Association works hard to find new seats for the game of musical chairs.
Thanks partly to the AFLCA, both Royal and Newett have found new homes as development coaches for 2010: Newett with Richmond and Royal at St Kilda. The coaches association worked with both men to brush up on their interviewing and presentation techniques while also recommending them to a number of clubs.
With 14 years experience at the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne, Melbourne and Richmond, Royal had already developed a reputation as a quality assistant, and is one of the AFL’s longest-serving assistant coaches.
"I can’t speak any more highly of the work [the AFLCA] put in and making sure I was comfortable and what was going on," Royal said. "Also they were talking to other clubs and organisations outside the AFL about my situation and trying to help me out with work.
"The lifespan of an assistant coach is probably only three or four years. If you’re lucky you’ll last a little bit longer but not too often.
"If you want to be a career coach it is important you do have that network of friends. The longer you stay in it the greater the network you have. Particularly if you’ve been around a few clubs."
AFLCA CEO Danny Frawley said Newett’s case was an example of the work done by the association with the new breed of coaches.
“Five years ago if the AFLCA wasn’t around he would probably have to go back to Tasmania licking his wounds and saying it was a good experience but I wish I could have stayed in it,” Frawley said.
"Last year we had 16 new coaches and eight of them had no AFL experience. That glass ceiling is now getting smashed.
"A lot of them have teaching backgrounds and degrees and even AFL players know they can’t just rely on their playing ability to get a job so they are doing these courses."
Newett says his lack of on-field experience at AFL level hasn’t been a hindrance.
"It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your playing record, it’s more about your coaching ability and how you teach gameplans and communicate with younger players," he said.
"It comes down to your coaching ability and people are taking on board a lot of avenues other than ex-footballers. It’s opening up the doors for more and more people."
Newett was full of praise for the coaches association.
"I got some good advice off the AFLCA to keep knocking on doors and we spoke about the process of networking and putting my name out to potential employees."
