News Offseason Staffing Changes - 2025 Edition

[Keys]

FYI - This is/was the 2025 coaching panel

• Senior Coach- Andrew McQualter

Andrew Mcqualter

Age

39

Ht

179cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

7.2

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.6

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.2

3star

• Midfield Coach - Jarrad Schofield

Jarrad Schofield

Age

51

Ht

178cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.0

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.5

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.6

2star

T

0.8

3star

• Backline Coach - Luke Webster

Luke Webster

Age

43

Ht

186cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.8

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

• Forwards Coach - Marco Bello
• Stoppage Coach - Luke Shuey

13

Luke Shuey

Age

35

Ht

184cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.7

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

10.7

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

4.9

5star

CL

5.6

5star

D

18.7

4star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.8

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

4.3

5star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.2

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.4

4star

• Ruck Coach - Ryan Turnbull

• Head of Development - Jamie Maddocks
• Development Manager - Steve Trewhella
• WAFL Coach - Kyal Horsley

Kyal Horsley

Age

38

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

9.0

3star

HB

7.6

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

4.5

5star

CL

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

19.6

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

4.2

4star

T

7.2

5star

CL

3.0

5star

• Development Coach (Forwards) - Jacob Brennan

Jacob Brennan

Age

36

Ht

188cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.2

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

2.6

3star

T

1.6

4star

• Development Coach (Game Fundamentals) - Shannon Hurn

25

Shannon Hurn

Age

38

Ht

187cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

15.7

5star

HB

5.2

4star

M

7.0

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

389.5

5star

D

16.1

4star

K

12.1

5star

HB

4.0

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

1.0

2star

MG

271.6

4star

D

19.0

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

6.8

5star

T

1.6

4star

• Indigenous Player Development Manager - Chance Bateman

Chance Bateman

Age

44

Ht

175cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.1

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.3

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

4star

CL

1.1

3star

No current season stats available

D

18.6

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

• High Performance Manager - Mat Inness

New appointments for 2026:

• Sam Radford - Midfield Coach
• Mitch Duncan - Backline Coach
• Phil Merriman - High Performance Manager

 

[DorothyG]

Do I have to go to Port too? I don't really want to, it's a bit of a shit hole.

Fair well sweet Prince.

 

[Matele]

I thought it was quite obviously a pisstake, but I might have overestimated the intelligence of some posters.

Bit late to the party but it seems you learnt nothing from the Shandong Gold Stadium fiasco

 

[Dark Sharks]

Gee whiz the Schofield acquisition really did turn out to be a bit of a disaster in the end didn't it.

Team went backwards and now he's done a full 180 and gone back to the club he just left in the first place.



Still think Shuey needs to be moved on, but given Harley is potentially losing his mate Ryan, i doubt the Shuey/Dani/Reid combo will also be split up.

 

[Matele]

Gee whiz the Schofield acquisition really did turn out to be a bit of a disaster in the end didn't it.

Team went backwards and now he's done a full 180 and gone back to the club he just left in the first place.



Still think Shuey needs to be moved on, but given Harley is potentially losing his mate Ryan, i doubt the Shuey/Dani/Reid combo will also be split up.

I don’t think he’ll be moved on but at the very least he should be shifted out of stoppages to something like player development where Toddy Nisbett can get his autograph Tim Gepstapo can watch him like a hawk.

 

[sharps24]

But but but Schofield had tattoos and gave Zane Trew a game, he was the chosen one for the “get a tough nut who will give them a spray” crowd. What a shame.

I'll bite since this was probably some kind of sad dig at me. You really are a small, bitter, fascinatingly unimpressive individual.

I wish Schofield all the best. Former player for us. Someone who spent a lot of time with the football club and seemed like a decent person. Like all modern coaches was a relationship builder not a wobbly chucker, despite the scary tattoos that seem to unsettle you. It was good of him to stick around and be a positive vibe around the club after the disappointment of not getting the job, considering how late Don left things we would of been going into the season without a midfield coach if he hadn't. But, the time is right for him to leave the nest and let McWalter bring his own people in. Not really called for to give him a clip on the way out but you do you. Still holding onto some fire for Zane Trew too I see ever since you thought you'd figured out there was something more to me trying to pump up the tyres of a young rookie as I am a fan of doing from time to time.

Also just quietly Schoey still has twice as many wins as Mini as senior coach of the West Coast Eagles, but hopefully that record gets broken next year and the Andrew overtakes him on win % as early as 2027

 

[Kegs15]

Shuey as Stoppage coach is a point of contention on here, I'd be surprised if a large contingency were unhappy about Hurn developing our young defenders

Brennan works in the development team but has managed to hang on, and I'm skeptical that's purely because of his elite 14 games for us

are there any others? unless you want to count Worsfold?

Yeah Hurn feels like he'd be excellent, and he's always struck me as a coach type player. Good sense of the game as a defender particularly.

As poor as our year has been, Ginbey was a standout, HEdwards stepped up his game big time, Hough continued to be excellent and added new strings to his bow, Brock exceeded expectations in his first real year of actual AFL games, McCarthy slotted right in and greatly exceeded his performance level at VFL even ignoring the step-up to AFL. Dewar only played a bit back and still has his question marks but exceeded expectations beyond where he was drafted. Maric splits opinions but learnt a new role and showed good positives along with obvious negatives. This probably doesn't count towards the point but even Baker bucked our bad first year from a trade trend and had a career best season.

Aside from players whose development is more a matter of injury (Bazzo), literally all our developing/new players who regularly played in the backline came on as good or better than we would have expected. Not all of that is Hurn of course but pretty ok evidence base.

I'm less fussed about using ex-players for us outright, and more concerned with being happy to let them go if they aren't performing - harder to turf off a Shuey or Brennan if they're not up to scratch but so ingrained in the club. Hope we're happy to be brutal where need be.

 

[mitchzz]

I hope Brennan is next to get the axe... For no reason other than he was a spud player

 

[frenchconnection]

I'll bite since this was probably some kind of sad dig at me. You really are a small, bitter, fascinatingly unimpressive individual.

I wish Schofield all the best. Former player for us. Someone who spent a lot of time with the football club and seemed like a decent person. Like all modern coaches was a relationship builder not a wobbly chucker, despite the scary tattoos that seem to unsettle you. It was good of him to stick around and be a positive vibe around the club after the disappointment of not getting the job, considering how late Don left things we would of been going into the season without a midfield coach if he hadn't. But, the time is right for him to leave the nest and let McWalter bring his own people in. Not really called for to give him a clip on the way out but you do you. Still holding onto some fire for Zane Trew too I see ever since you thought you'd figured out there was something more to me trying to pump up the tyres of a young rookie as I am a fan of doing from time to time.

Also just quietly Schoey still has twice as many wins as Mini as senior coach of the West Coast Eagles, but hopefully that record gets broken next year and the Andrew overtakes him on win % as early as 2027

Personally I’m sorry to see Schofield go and was even disappointed when he didn’t get the top gig - although do think Mini is on the right track and the players seem to respect him. Not too sure Schofield will be going to Port though as think I heard he wants to stay put here in WA. I Would like to have seen some others go before Schofield and in particular GEPP - and Brennan as well. Not sorry to see Turnbull go - not that I wish him any harm but just think it was time, however wonder who we will get to be our ruck coach now. Interesting times ahead.

 

[jdisc]

I hope Brennan is next to get the axe... For no reason other than he was a spud player

big brain analysis here

 

[HoneyBadger35]

I'll bite since this was probably some kind of sad dig at me. You really are a small, bitter, fascinatingly unimpressive individual.

A truly wonderful response to a post that was aimed at nobody and was about as generic as it could get.

As a small, bitter, fascinatingly unimpressive individual, even I know main character syndrome when I see it. Best of luck.

 

[Dark Sharks]

He definitely has a small Graham Johncock, don't think he's disputing anything there sharps24

 

[BSD]

I don’t think he’ll be moved on but at the very least he should be shifted out of stoppages to something like player development where Toddy Nisbett can get his autograph Tim Gepstapo can watch him like a hawk.

I love the Geppstapo name, got the same number of letters as Geppstein.

 

[BSD]

I'll bite since this was probably some kind of sad dig at me. You really are a small, bitter, fascinatingly unimpressive individual.

I wish Schofield all the best. Former player for us. Someone who spent a lot of time with the football club and seemed like a decent person. Like all modern coaches was a relationship builder not a wobbly chucker, despite the scary tattoos that seem to unsettle you. It was good of him to stick around and be a positive vibe around the club after the disappointment of not getting the job, considering how late Don left things we would of been going into the season without a midfield coach if he hadn't. But, the time is right for him to leave the nest and let McWalter bring his own people in. Not really called for to give him a clip on the way out but you do you. Still holding onto some fire for Zane Trew too I see ever since you thought you'd figured out there was something more to me trying to pump up the tyres of a young rookie as I am a fan of doing from time to time.

Also just quietly Schoey still has twice as many wins as Mini as senior coach of the West Coast Eagles, but hopefully that record gets broken next year and the Andrew overtakes him on win % as early as 2027

He stuck around as he had a year left on his contract and you can't live on Centrelink unemployment benefits.
By the time Mini was appointed there probably weren't many/any assistant coaches roles still vacant at other clubs.

 

[BSD]

Schofield and Webster both going to Port ...alongside Josh Carr .

Old Dockers/Port mates don't leave their mates behind.

 

[FKASC]

Move Shuey out of stoppages now too plz

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

I'll do better than that , I'll name 4 other East Fremantle juniors beside Jackson that made that 2019 state under 18 team that won the championship and had Peter Sumich named as coach. Trent Rivers,Jeremy Sharp ,Brandon Walker and Chad Warner. I think all 4 of those have played more games than Brennan. Jackson ,Rivers and Sharp were also All Australians

And which of them were naturally gifted and made Brennan look good, and which of them actually got to that level (at least in part) because of his coaching?

Rivers has called Brennan a “phenomenal” coach for convincing him to play down back, where he hadn’t played before but ended up being AA.



And Warner was only in the state team because Brennan pushed for it.

 

[Keys]

I’ve always maintained it’s difficult to judge how well assistant coaches do their job from outside the club - it’s usually a vibe based on how well the team is performing

Seems like Webster and Schofield have been pushed after McQualter has had a season to assess the coaching panel and the club have allowed him to have a say - I doubt the new coach, Radford, comes in without his stamp of approval

The inference then needs to be that those coaches who remain, like Shuey, only do so because McQualter is happy to keep them at the club.

 

[WCE777]

Yeah Hurn feels like he'd be excellent, and he's always struck me as a coach type player. Good sense of the game as a defender particularly.

As poor as our year has been, Ginbey was a standout, HEdwards stepped up his game big time, Hough continued to be excellent and added new strings to his bow, Brock exceeded expectations in his first real year of actual AFL games, McCarthy slotted right in and greatly exceeded his performance level at VFL even ignoring the step-up to AFL. Dewar only played a bit back and still has his question marks but exceeded expectations beyond where he was drafted. Maric splits opinions but learnt a new role and showed good positives along with obvious negatives. This probably doesn't count towards the point but even Baker bucked our bad first year from a trade trend and had a career best season.

Aside from players whose development is more a matter of injury (Bazzo), literally all our developing/new players who regularly played in the backline came on as good or better than we would have expected. Not all of that is Hurn of course but pretty ok evidence base.

I'm less fussed about using ex-players for us outright, and more concerned with being happy to let them go if they aren't performing - harder to turf off a Shuey or Brennan if they're not up to scratch but so ingrained in the club. Hope we're happy to be brutal where need be.

this

 

[squashface]

And which of them were naturally gifted and made Brennan look good, and which of them actually got to that level (at least in part) because of his coaching?

Rivers has called Brennan a “phenomenal” coach for convincing him to play down back, where he hadn’t played before but ended up being AA.

View attachment 2408714

And Warner was only in the state team because Brennan pushed for it.

View attachment 2408715

I had no idea he had creds like that. Always thought he was just a standard ex-player development coach with no experience elsewhere.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

With his new pay day coming up, Harley can pay Shuey out of his own pocket to be his dad like Papa Homer and Pepsi Pepi, and we don't need to keep him on as stoppages coach:

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

We can't get rid of Brennan, he's a counterintelligence expert and the best in the business at stopping people spying on pre-season training.

 

[TY24]

I'll bite since this was probably some kind of sad dig at me

Contrary to what you seem to believe, not everything on this board is about you

 

[ziad]

Radford looks a very smart acquisition, experienced, strategist and great educator.

 

[bzparkes]

Contrary to what you seem to believe, not everything on this board is about you

"WeLCOme tO MY IGNoRe lISt bITCh!!!!!"

 

[FKASC]

those coaches who remain, like Shuey, only do so because McQualter is happy to keep them at the club.

Nah Tim Jepp forces Mini to keep Shuey on the books. Jobes for the bois