Former Lion on deck as Suns continue bold revamp

GOLD Coast’s footy revamp has continued with the signing of a former Lions player.

Matthew Kennedy previously spent five years working as a strength and conditioning coach for the Gold Coast Suns.

GOLD Coast’s bold footy revamp has gone into overdrive with the recruitment of a former Lions player.

Matthew Kennedy spent five years at the club as strength and conditioning coach between 2010 and 2015 working in the high performance department and will now re-join Gold Coast through its player welfare division, to be headed by Shaun Hart.

It’s a completely new role for the former Brisbane Lions player who has spent recent seasons working as a strength and conditioning coach for the Southport Sharks NEAFL team.

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It is understood Gold Coast are also in talks with former North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow, who retired at the end of the 2017 season and moved to Byron Bay, about taking on a position at the club where his brother David plays.

Southport Sharks head coach Stephen Daniel said the club was disappointed to lose Kennedy but backed him to succeed in his new role at the Suns.

Matthew Kennedy previously spent five years working as a strength and conditioning coach for the Gold Coast Suns.

“He is a man of terrific character,” Daniel said.

“He will be missed at Southport but it’s another great opportunity in a new role for him and I wish him all the best.

“He is very well respected here at the Sharks and is a quality person.”

Gold Coast have announced a raft of changes to its staff in recent days, with former Brisbane Lions defender Josh Drummond coming on board as an assistant coach while Adelaide defensive coach Tate Kaesler has accepted a position as a development coach.

Physiotherapist Alex Rigby has been elevated to high-performance manager while the club has axed football department members Russell Butler and Andy Lovell, high performance manager Justin Cordy and assistant coach Matthew Primus.

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