Robert Harvey moves from midfield to backline in Collingwood coaching shuffle

David King believes Robert Harvey was never a chance of landing the North Melbourne job, but the Magpies assistant will continue to enhance his coaching credentials.

Collingwood assistant Robert Harvey missed out on the North Melbourne job. Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood will have a new midfield coach for the first time since 2011 as Robert Harvey rounds out his senior coaching resume with a switch to the backline in 2021.

Harvey missed out on the North Melbourne role last month despite another strong showing and will continue to add layers to his coaching with the backline switch.

Collingwood will have long-time Pies assistant Brenton Sanderson moving from attack to coach a midfield that will miss Adam Treloar’s impact next season.

The Pies midfield remains star-studded despite the retirement of Dayne Beams, but will need to work on its midfield-forward connectivity over the summer.

Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Harvey again impressed in a full interview process but the Roos chose Brisbane football boss David Noble over the Pies senior assistant and emerging assistant Daniel Giansiracusa.

Western Bulldogs assistant Giansiracusa has been poached by Essendon and was always unlikely to win the senior role.

But North Melbourne premiership player David King wondered publicly this week whether the club’s decision to secure Noble was pre-ordained.

He was scouted heavily by coaching sub committee member Paul Roos over several days, with King wondering if Harvey was “up against it” given the powerful endorsement from the Sydney premiership coach.

“If I was Robert Harvey and I’m reading that, I’m thinking, ‘Did I get the best opportunity here’? He would have to think that wouldn’t he?” he said.

Robert Harvey will be Nathan Buckley’s backline coach next season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

But Harvey, who missed out on the St Kilda job handed to caretaker Brett Ratten last year, was assured by Roos powerbrokers he was always a realistic candidate.

He left the process on good terms with the club despite some robust questioning about the process, with North Melbourne adamant he will be a quality senior coach at some stage.

Harvey has been Collingwood’s long-time senior assistant and midfield coach, but the Pies will throw around the coaching magnets with several new faces this year.

He will be the defensive coach, Brenton Sanderson will take over the midfield and former Former Essendon assistant Hayden Skipworth will coach the forwards after 12 months as the head of Collingwood’s development academy.

Damien Carroll will replace Skipworth as the academy coach after a decade at Hawthorn as an assistant, VFL coach and head of development and learning.

Dual Brownlow Medallist Harvey joined the Pies in October 2011 as midfield coach and has been the club’s senior assistant since 2013.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley lauded Harvey’s influence last year.

“If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, he could step up and I don’t think we would skip a beat,” Buckley told the Herald Sun.

“Tactically, I lean on him heavily for his knowledge of the game, but underpinning that is his work rate, because he has never relied on his talent, he was always the hardest worker.

“So, he watches more vision from more angles than anyone I have ever seen, any coach I have ever known.

“But I would also describe him, through his experience with Ray McLean and Leading Teams, as a relationship coach. He is really easy to talk to and he can get to everyone’s level.”

MCGUIRE PRAISES DEPARTING PIES FOOTY BOSS

- Michael Warner

Collingwood football boss Geoff Walsh has pulled the pin.

Walsh, 64, will finish up next month after a tumultuous season at the Holden Centre.

“I have been contemplating this for some time and as one of my old coaches once put it, the moment you start thinking about retirement is the time to finish,” Walsh said.

“I am ready and the time for Collingwood is also right. I will thank personally the many people I need to but I would like to acknowledge the game for the rich experiences, friendships and professional rewards I have been lucky enough to enjoy.

“It was a privilege to serve the game.”

Collingwood General Manager of Football Geoff Walsh, middle, has quit the club. Picture: Michael Klein.

Walsh was a central player in the trade period fiasco that saw Adam Treloar, Jaiydn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi all depart the club because of salary cap pressure.

Magpies fans expressed anger at the club’s treatment of its players, compounded by a series of mixed messages from club officials.

But the club says the trading saga was not a factor in Walsh’s decision to retire.

A Magpie spokesman said the club had been in discussions about a “transitional or a part-time role” for Wash next year but he declined.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said: “Geoff has been one of the all-time great administrators and football people.

“He moved with and shaped the game as it evolved from a semi-professional, state-based sport into a professional and national competition. He knows and understands the game like few others do.

“He was with Collingwood for over a decade. We would have liked to have had him with us for another decade.”

2010 premiership skipper Nick Maxwell is one of a handful of potential internal candidates to replace Walsh, including performance and strategy manager Marcus Wagner.

Originally published as Robert Harvey moves from midfield to backline in Collingwood coaching shuffle