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by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Sacked Port coach Matthew Primus has landed a new job as an assistant with the Gold Coast. Primus, who played 157 games with Fitzroy and Port before coaching Port for two seasons, will work with the ruck men and midfield as well as working to help develop the tall key position players. General Manager Marcus Ashcroft believes Primus has plenty to offer the young club with his experience, saying that "Matthew's ability to educate and develop our ruckmen and key position players, as well as working with our midfield group ensures our playing group will benefit from the best possible tuition as we continue to develop our list."

Primus is excited at the proposition of working with the squad and being given a chance to continue his coaching career. He said "looking at their list, it’s clear they have a great bunch of young players and I am certainly looking forward to working with them ... I love coaching and I love teaching ... Watching from afar, they have been doing some good work ... the opportunity to work in a different culture and ... new environment is certainly something I am looking forward to.”

Source: Stephen Wilson, Club Media Release

Former Richmond and Bulldog player Leon Cameron has been appointed as an assistant coach with GWS. His four year contract will also see him take over from current senior coach Kevin Sheedy in 2014. Cameron has served a lengthy apprenticeship with the Bulldogs and Hawthorn. He spent two years with the Hawks after seven seasons with the Bulldogs and narrowly missed getting the job as senior coach with the Dogs last year.

Football manager David Matthews said Cameron had outstanding attributes and would be a wonderful addition to the club. Matthews also said it would give Cameron the chance to work with "... one of the greatest coaches of all time ... and develop our young playing list." Sheedy was a member of the selection panel which also included General Manager Graeme Allan and Matthews.

Cameron, 40, described the role as an exciting journey and said he was looking forward to helping to develop the young playing list. Not to mention the fact that he would be working alongside, and learning from Sheedy. "To work with one of the greats ... will be a perfect way to prepare for my senior coaching career ... I'm now looking forward to preseason training and getting the team ready for ... a very exciting year ahead." As for the chance to work with Sheedy, he said it was a no brainer after losing out on the Port Adelaide job and added "Where do you go to get an opportunity to work with a four-time premiership coach ... the experience you can gather from that, the advice you get?"

The feeling was mutual, with Sheedy saying Cameron was well prepared through his long apprenticeship to take on the challenge of building a new club. Sheedy said he was looking forward to working with Cameron to take the playing group to the next level. At the press conference announcing the appointment, Sheedy compared Cameron to Paul Roos by joking that Cameron was "one of the best-looking Hollywood coaches." Sheedy, who cheekily nicknamed Roos the Sundance Kid, said he would have to nickname Cameron Butch Cassidy.

LEON CAMERON
Drafted with selection seven in 1988 national draft, played 172 games and kicked 68 goals for Western Bulldogs 1990-1999, won club Best and Fairest in 1993.

Joined Richmond in 2000, played 84 games and kicked 84 goals in four seasons with the Tigers.

Assistant Coach of Western Bulldogs from 2004-10 before joining Hawthorn as Assistant Coach in 2011.

In farewelling Cameron, Coach Alastair Clarkson wished him well and thanked him for his time at Hawthorn. Clarkson said Cameron's experience as an assistant and understanding of the game had him well-placed to eventually become a senior coach.

Source: The Australian

Sacked Carlton coach Brett Ratten has joined Hawthorn as an assistant, replacing Leon Cameron. Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson said Ratten would bring a wealth of experience to the club. Ratten was equally pleased to be joining the Hawks, saying he respected the way the Hawks played.

Ratten, 41, played 255 games with Carlton 1990-2003. He was a member of Carlton's 1995 Premiership team, won the club's Best and Fairest award three times and was named All-Australian twice. He moved into coaching shortly after retiring as a player. He coached Norwood in the Eastern Football League second division before joining Melbourne for two seasons as an assistant coach. Ratten took over as Carlton's senior coach midway through 2007 after the club dismissed Denis Pagan. He continued in that role until the end of this season.

Source: Leah Mirabella, Hawthorn Media Release

Former Geelong Cat Ken Hinkley has been appointed as the new senior coach at Port Adelaide. Hinkley and Hawthorn assistant Leon Cameron were at the top of Port's list, but when Cameron joined GWS, Port put all their effort into signing Hinkley. There was concern at Port as to whether or not Hinkley would be willing to move a second time in two years after heading to Gold Coast as an assistant.

Hinkley, 46, began his playing career with Fitzroy in 1986 but crossed to Geelong after just 11 games. He went on to play 121 games with the Cats where he thrived as a defender. He played in Geelong's three losing Grand Final teams in 1992, 1994 and 1995. He came third in the Brownlow in 1991, was named club Best and Fairest in 1992, was All-Australian 1991-92 and co-captained the Cats in 1995. Prior to joining Gold Coast, he was an assistant at Geelong 2004-09 and helped restructure the side's forward line. He also served as an assistant with St Kilda and Collingwood and narrowly missed out on the senior job at the Saints. Hinkley was also strongly considered by Adelaide before it appointed Brenton Sanderson and he joins Port with a glowing endorsement from Gold Coast board member and coaching director Malcolm Blight.

Source: theage.com.au, AFL Record Season Guide, Encyclopedia of League Footballers

Article last changed on Friday, November 02, 2012 - 11:32 AM EDT


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