Prince Alfred College hands top football job to former Central District captain Matthew Slade
School football powerhouse Prince Alfred College has appointed an eight-time SANFL premiership winner and former captain as its first XVIII coach.
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He was once part of one of SA’s greatest football dynasties – and now Matthew Slade will lead the state’s dominant football school.
The eight-time Central District premiership player has been appointed football director and first XVIII coach of Prince Alfred College.
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Slade, who also captained the Dogs to the 2007-2009 SANFL flags, takes over from highly successful Reds mentor Marty McKinnon.
The incoming coach inherits a side which has won the past three Messenger Shield crowns and the 2017 and 2019 state knockout titles.
But Slade, like PAC, is no stranger to success.
In 203 games with Central District the tough rover played in 10 grand finals, winning eight flags – second only to twins James and Chris Gowans’ tallies of nine at the Dogs.
Slade says he aims to bring some of the renowned culture from his days at Elizabeth to an already flourishing PAC set up.
“The school has already got a very strong, effective culture and a successful environment,” Slade says.
“It will be about continuing that but there will be areas we can improve in terms of their culture and ensuring we’re moving in the same direction.
“Experiencing successful league football, as soon as you took your foot off the gas things fell apart.
“It’s about having a work ethic and establishing that team-first culture. That will be established on hard work, not reputation.”
Slade has spent the past three seasons coaching North Adelaide’s SANFLW side, leading the Roosters to two grand final appearances (2017, 2019) and a preliminary final in 2018.
He has also been the state 15-and-under coach since 2015.
“I was definitely ready for a new challenge,” he says.
“This is ideal in terms of what I was looking for and the timing was fantastic.
“There’s obviously a lot of focus on the first XVIII and there will continue to be so, but it’s also about developing football through those earlier years to build a bigger pool of talent.
“In terms of where college footy is moving, there’s a big focus on it. Victoria and the AFL put a big spotlight on college football and Adelaide is probably not far off that.
“There’s tremendous resources and facilities and a lot of talent already there and it’s about furthering that over the next few years.”
The Messenger Shield college football competition is set to begin in May.
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