Retired Crow Ben Rutten takes assistant coaching role at Richmond

RETIRED Adelaide Crows full-back Ben Rutten has taken a job as an assistant coach with Richmond for 2015.

AFL - Adelaide Crows v St Kilda at The Adelaide Oval. Ben Rutten says goodbye to the Adelaide Fans. Photo Sarah Reed.

RETIRED Adelaide full back Ben Rutten has joined Richmond as an assistant coach as the movement of coaches and players move into full swing across the non-final teams.

The Tigers snapped up the 2005 All-Australian after watching him closely as an on-field leader and also taking in the endorsement from Crows senior coach Brenton Sanderson.

Rutten made it public that it was the path he wanted to take when he announced his retirement — effective at season’s end — in early July.

He had also completed the industry-respected “Next Coach’’ program, an elite coaching course run by David Wheadon which has a high strike rate in landing students coaching jobs.

Other graduates of the course include West Coast coach Adam Simpson, Essendon’s Simon Goodwin and GWS assistant Dean Brogan.

Richmond football manager Dan Richardson said Rutten had impressed them before the two parties sat down for their first formal discussion.

“Ben’s playing achievements speak for themselves,’’ Richardson said.

“And his leadership skills, knowledge of the game and experience in guiding Adelaide’s younger players will hold him in good steak as he embarks on a coaching career.

“We are very fortunate to have Ben at the Richmond Football Club and we look forward to welcoming him to our coaching group.’’

The appointment was the result of a concerted effort from Rutten to remain in the AFL.

He had worked closely with both Sanderson and defensive coach Darren Milburn and had been open about his ambitions to join the coaching ranks after his playing days were over.

After announcing his retirement to his teammates, he spoke of his preparations for his next role in the game.

“I’m pretty passionate about getting into coaching when I finish playing,’’ he said.

“I’ve spent the last three to five years doing some work behind the scenes preparing for life after footy.

“Sando (Sanderson) and Dasher (Milburn) have been great in helping me develop and give me a bit more freedom in terms of being able to develop my coaching skills.

“We’ve had really open lines of communication about the team. And he’s been really receptive to me coming into coaching afterwards.’’

Originally published as Retired Crow Ben Rutten takes assistant coaching role at Richmond