Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Three-time Richmond premiership defender Nathan Broad has officially closed the door on his AFL playing career, taking up a development coaching role at Fremantle.
The Dockers announced their coaching shuffle on Thursday following the departure of Jaymie Graham to take up the head coaching role at North Melbourne.
The big-name addition is the arrival of West Australian Broad, who announced his retirement in August but had left the door ajar to reversing that decision if either Fremantle or West Coast came knocking.
Neither team could find space for the 33-year-old, and Broad jumped at the chance to join Fremantle’s staff as a backs development coach.
“I’ve been playing for 11 years, and now I’m moving into a new chapter. I’m super excited about a new challenge,” Broad said in a statement.
“As I’ve grown older and progressed through my career, the coaching side of things became more prominent for me, especially as Richmond entered a new phase of its journey.
“Over the last few years, with a younger group at Richmond, it fast-tracked my leadership and coaching credentials in a sense.”
Former Dockers utility Tendai Mzungu has been elevated from backs development coach to backs assistant coach.
That role was previously held by Jade Rawlings, who will now oversee the forward line after Graham’s appointment at North Melbourne.
Sam Mainwaring has assumed the role of Fremantle’s midfield development coach.
Adam Read, who led Fremantle’s WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder to the flag this year, has since joined GWS.
He has been replaced by Geoff Valentine, who coached the Thunder in 2022 and 2023.
Fremantle fell just short of claiming their maiden AFL flag this year, coughing up a 17-point lead with just over four minutes remaining in the grand final on the way to a heartbreaking seven-point loss to Brisbane.
