Hawk flag heroes join forces again in Richmond rebuild
Shayne Hope |
Adem Yze had called on old connections to bolster his Richmond coaching staff, with the addition of recently retired Hawthorn premiership stars Luke Breust and Taylor Duryea.
Yze, who spent nine years (2011-20) as a Hawks assistant, has added Breust and Duryea as development coaches as he continues his rebuild with the Tigers.
The pair concluded decorated 16-year playing careers this month and will be charged with guiding a glut of young talent at Richmond, led by last year’s top draft pick Sam Lalor.
Breust’s chances of a fourth AFL premiership crashed when he sustained a serious knee injury in Box Hill’s VFL preliminary final defeat to Footscray a fortnight ago.
Duryea, a two-time Hawthorn premiership player, featured for the Bulldogs as they went on to claim the VFL flag.
Breust (forwards) and Duryea (defence) join former North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell (midfield) in the Tigers’ development coaching group, overseen by former Essendon coach Ben Rutten.
Richmond, who selected seven teenagers in the top 30 picks last year, will attack the national draft again in November, bolstered by the first-round selection traded in from North Melbourne.
“We are investing in putting the best people around our young players to ensure that they have every chance of success in their AFL careers,” Richmond football boss Tim Livingstone said in a club statement.
“All of these guys are driven, experienced and successful in their own right and will be great assets for our football department.”
Elsewhere, Gold Coast are on the lookout for Damien Hardwick’s new right-hand man after Wayne Campbell ended his four-year stint as football boss.
Campbell, who helped oversee the Suns’ first finals campaign this year, has joined Sydney as the head of their academy.
Former Swans player Jeremy Laidler has rejoined the club as an assistant coach after three years in a similar role at GWS.
The pair are part of a reshuffle that has occurred in Sydney’s football department since premiership coach John Longmire stepped down in November.
Longmire’s former assistant Dean Cox took the reins, with the 2012 flag-winning mentor shifting into a new role as executive director of club performance.
Former Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin joined the Swans as director of coaching and performance last week.
Goodwin, who steered the Demons to the 2021 flag, was axed as coach in August.
AAP
