Richmond assistant Adam Kingsley joins GWS Giants as club's next senior coach
Adam Kingsley has been unveiled as the GWS Giants' next senior coach, signing a three-year deal with the club from next season.
Kingsley is one of the most highly-regarded assistants around the AFL and will arrive at the club having spent more than a decade in coaching roles at Port Adelaide, St Kilda and most recently, Richmond.
The 47-year-old, who played 170 games for Port Adelaide between 1997 and 2006, has been involved in two premierships as a member of Damien Hardwick's Tigers staff.
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Having finished the runner-up to the Collingwood job behind Craig McRae and the Carlton job behind Michael Voss last year, Kingsley beat out this year's Giants interim coach, Mark McVeigh, and Melbourne assistant Adem Yze.
Kingsley beat out Melbourne assistant Adem Yze, for the Giants job Getty
"This is an incredibly exciting opportunity," Kingsley said in a club statement.
"It's a privilege and an honour to be the next senior coach of the Giants. I've been clear in my aspirations to become a senior coach and over the last 16 years I've continued to learn and develop to the point now where I'm absolutely ready to take the next step in my coaching career.
"This is a club which has built a strong culture from the ground up in just a few short years. In just 11 years the Giants have made multiple preliminary finals, and a grand final, and while the ultimate success has eluded the club, it's clear the building blocks are in place.
"It's clear the players, staff, members and fans are hungry for success, and we're going to drive each other to get to where we want to go.
"I believe in this club and what we can achieve together."
Giants CEO Dave Matthews said Kingsley's vision for the club's future made him the "standout candidate" among all the applicants.
James Hird, Dean Solomon and Mark McVeigh are all likely to depart the Giants after Kingsley's appointment. Getty
Matthews also praised the job McVeigh has done since stepping in mid-season after Leon Cameron's departure, but said the club was not satisfied with recent results.
"It's a difficult job to come in as caretaker coach but he attacked the role with fresh ideas and sought to improve our players, staff and program at every step," he said in the statement.
"Mark is a person of the highest integrity and character, and he has always put the club first. He was steadfast in leaving the program ready for whoever would be taking over."
McVeigh's exit from the Giants is almost certainly going to result in the departures of James Hird and Dean Solomon, who had spent time alongside him in the coaches' box in recent weeks.
All three men have been linked to Essendon's sudden vacancy following Ben Rutten's sacking, but it remains to be seen whether they apply for the role.
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