Former Crows great, ex-Port assistant joins Unley’s coaching team 2021 Adelaide Footy League season

A former Adelaide Crows, Melbourne star and ex-Port Adelaide assistant says he is keen to have joined a top tier Adelaide Footy League club’s new-look coaching team.

New look Unley Football Club coaching panel (L-R) Assistant coach Jimmy Harrison, Former Goodwood coach Adam Jeffries and Ex-Crows AFL great and former Port assistant coach Scott Thompson. Picture: Tom Huntley

A top tier Adelaide Footy League club has unveiled a new-look coaching panel, headlined by a former AFL player, ahead of the 2021 season.

Unley Jets announced ex-Goodwood and Padthaway mentor Adam Jeffries as its new senior coach after Kane Stewart stepped down at the end of this season.

Jeffries will be joined by former Adelaide Crows star Scott Thompson, who will oversee the side’s midfield.

Thompson, who played 269 games for the Crows from 2005-17, after 39 for Melbourne (2001-04), had been a development coach with Port Adelaide for the past two seasons.

But the Power cut ties with the 37-year-old in April because of the impact of COVID-19 on the club’s finances.

Thompson will link up with ex-Crows teammate Michael Doughty, who is the Jets’ football director.

The ex-Crow told The Messenger he was keen to return to the coaching ranks.

18/11/20 - Former Goodwood coach Adam Jeffries and Former Crows AFL great and ex-Port assistant coach Scott Thompson joins Unley Football Club. Picture: Tom Huntley

“I’ve obviously known Michael (Doughty) for a long time and I played a lot of footy with him,” Thompson said.

“Given my situation this year and stepping away from what I was doing, it’s a nice little fit at the moment to be able to help him (Doughty) out and get back to the roots of footy in the amateur league.

“I’m looking forward to contributing back at that level.”

Thompson, who will also be helping out with Adelaide’s AFLW team once a week, says his aim is to ensure Jets players have fun and gain some success along the way.

“I think at that level of footy you just have to be enjoying it,” Thompson said.

“But at the same time we want to get better.

“I’ll be pushing that as well as well as developing and educating guys around their understanding and knowledge of footy.”

“From a midfield point of view, you need some inside grunt and some guys on the outside that can break the lines for us.

“We will want to play a really strong, hard brand of footy, but also generate plenty of run and good ball use.”

Jeffries, meanwhile, is a two-time premiership coach with Padthaway in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League and also spent time as an assistant with South Adelaide.

Scott Thompson in action for the Crows against GWS during 2017. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

He held the reins at Goodwood for two seasons (2018, 19) before standing down ahead of this year due to family reasons.

Unley, meanwhile, was promoted to division one this year after making the 2019 second tier grand final, only to lose to Athelstone.

But the Jets endured a tough season back in the top tier, finishing ninth with a 2-7 record.

Jeffries said he was looking forward to returning to the coaching role and wanted to help Unley move up the ladder.

“We’ve got a bit of work to do, but we’ve assembled a bit of a superstar coaching panel thus far,” Jeffries said.

“Once the footy season did start this year in July, I certainly missed it.

“I feel very fortunate (to be coaching Unley), they are a great club.

“I am very confident we will get an uplift in performance next year.

“We’ll hopefully add some players in.

“We’ll be structured, we’ll be organised on the field and hopefully if we do that, we’ll win more games than we lose.”

James Harrison, who was at the helm of Modbury in 2019 and 2020, will also join the Jets as an assistant coach.

Harrison also played for the Hawks and was involved in their 2004-05 and 2008 premierships.