Jason Saddington will take on a new role at the GIANTS in 2020, named as the club’s new NEAFL Head Coach, while Adam Schneider will become an assistant coach.
Saddington, who has guided the club’s next generation of AFL Stars as GIANTS Academy Head Coach since 2014, takes over from Schneider, who has been the club’s NEAFL coach for the past two seasons.
Under Saddington’s guidance over the past five seasons the GIANTS Academy has produced 25 AFL draftees including current GIANTS Jacob Hopper, Harry Himmelberg, Matt Flynn, Kieren Briggs, Nick Shipley, Zach Sproule, Isaac Cumming and Harry Perryman.
The Academy is expected to again produce a number of draftees in next month’s 2019 NAB AFL Draft with Canberra’s Tom Green expected to be selected in the top 10.
Saddington played 162 AFL games between 1998 and 2008 with Sydney and Carlton, and coached the NSW/ACT Rams Under-18s side for three years before joining the GIANTS.
“We are very pleased to appoint Jason as our coach of the club’s NEAFL side,” GIANTS General Manager of Football Wayne Campbell said.
“He has grown our Academy significantly since he joined the club in October 2014 and he has established strong relationships across our Academy regions in that time.
“He has been very successful in developing a whole generation of footballers, some of who are now on our list, some who are on other AFL lists and others who have gone back to community football.
“We look forward to seeing what Jason is able to achieve with our NEAFL side that is crucial to the development of our AFL-listed players.”
Schneider coached the GIANTS’ NEAFL side for the past two seasons and guided them to an elimination final in 2019.
The former Swans and St Kilda forward will join the GIANTS’ AFL coaching ranks alongside Brad Miller, Mark McVeigh, Amon Buchanan and Lenny Hayes following the departure of Matthew Nicks to Adelaide.
“Adam has done a great job in the NEAFL coaching role over the past two season and was key in guiding the side to finals this year,” Campbell said.
“Part of the role is developing our players, particularly our first-year players, and under his guidance we saw six players make their AFL debuts after performing strongly in the NEAFL.
“Adam sees the game very well and that, along with his ability to form strong relationships with his players, makes him a very good coach.”
The GIANTS’ first to fourth year players return for pre-season training on November 18 before the club welcomes the next crop of GIANTS at the 2019 NAB AFL Draft on November 27 and 28.
