Adelaide Crows news: Delisted Crow Andrew McPherson to serve in development role
A former Crow will serve as the AFL’s youngest coach in 2024, staying on at his former club in a developmental role after impressing coaches in the SANFL in 2023.
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Adelaide looks likely to have the youngest coach in the AFL next season, naming 24-year-old Andrew McPherson to a development role.
McPherson was delisted in September after playing 28 games for the Crows during an injury-plagued career from 2018-23.
Named as vice-captain of South Australia’s under-18s in 2017, McPherson’s leadership and character became lauded at West Lakes, where he was a two-time winner of the Dr Brian Sando Award for professionalism and dedication.
The former defender, who turns 25 in June, is the youngest coach in the AFL Coaches Association’s records for 2024.
Crows football manager Adam Kelly said McPherson showed great aptitude and knowledge of the game while supporting the club’s SANFL coaches this year.
McPherson was also an assistant with the state under-16 program in 2023, travelling with the team to the Gold Coast for the national championships.
“Unfortunately injuries meant his playing career came to a premature end, but through that came opportunities for Andrew to explore coaching,” Kelly said.
“Andrew is an outstanding character, a strong leader … so will add a lot to our development program headed by Marco Bello.”
McPherson’s opportunity emerged after Adelaide promoted Jack Hombsch to its AFL backline coach.
Hombsch replaces Scott Burns, who has moved from defence to the forwards after James Rahilly’s departure to Geelong.
Burns will remain senior assistant to Matthew Nicks.
Nathan van Berlo will continue overseeing the midfield.
Hombsch, who played 116 AFL games for GWS, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast, joined the Crows at the end of 2021 as head of development in AFLW.
He became backline development coach for the club’s men’s sides this year.
Kelly said Hombsch was more than ready to step up.
“As a player he was a talented and hardworking defender who embraced a challenge and showed great resilience, and now is instilling similar characteristics in our group as a coach,” Kelly said.
SANFL mentor Michael Godden is taking on the added responsibility of coaching development.
He has been named the AFL Coaches Association’s development coach of the year the past two seasons.
Development coach Matt Wright will take the reins of the SANFL side if Godden is with the AFL team due to a schedule clash.
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Originally published as Adelaide Crows news: Delisted Crow Andrew McPherson to serve in development role
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