Geelong College lands Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney as new boys football coach

An elite private school has secured the services of a former AFL star to coach their boys program.

Adam Cooney has joined Geelong College as their new coach. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong College’s football program has received a huge boost, landing Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney as their new boys football coach.

The 250-game Western Bulldogs and Essendon star has signed a two-year deal with the school to be their first XVIII coach after being approached by football director and ex-Collingwood and St Kilda defender Nathan Brown.

Brown said the school conducted a review into their football program and decided to part ways with former coach Luke Primus after his five-year tenure — citing a desire for a “fresh perspective”.

Usually one of the bottom teams in the APS competition, Geelong College had a much-improved season under Primus this year, finishing seventh and knocking off arch rival Geelong Grammar for the first time in 10 years.

Cooney, who is based in Batesford 20 minutes out of Geelong, coached at U16 level for St Joseph’s this season and led the side to a preliminary final.

He will continue his media commitments with Channel 7 — in a similar vein to Xavier College coach Jobe Watson – but is eager to go above and beyond in his role for Geelong College, impressing Brown during the interview process.

Adam Cooney will continue his media commitments with Channel 7. Picture: Supplied

Brown is excited to have him on board and thanked Primus for the “amazing” work he has done for the school.

He believes having Cooney at the helm will help attract AFL hopefuls to Geelong College to improve their development.

“After the season we sort of sat down and did the review of the program and going forward and did a 3-5 year plan kind of thing and sort of decided we needed a fresh perspective in our boys program,” Brown said.

“Luke Primus was an amazing coach and an even better person and we just thought he’d been there for five years and we just needed a fresh perspective so we decided to part ways with him.

“He’s going there and he has taken that team all the way to finals and he has a strong interest in continuing his development of coaching so thought it was mutually a great fit for himself going forward and for us as a College, what he can offer.

“We do want to attract top-end talent to the school and he will further that development with those elite players who are striving to play in the AFL one day.

“His experience and expertise and he is a Brownlow medallist so he was the best of the best at what he did so it is exciting.”

Originally published as Geelong College lands Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney as new boys football coach