The Crows confirm the departure of valuable assistant . The Cats have pulled off a coup by signing a highly-rated assistant from the Crows.
Adelaide Football Club has confirmed the departure of highly-rated assistant coach James Rahilly, with the 44-year-old now set to return to Kardinia Park for the 2024 season.
Rahilly has considered The City of Cathedrals has been home since the end of the 2020 season, serving as Matthew Nicks as forwards coach for three years.
However, after being courted by the Cats, Rahilly – a product of the Geelong Falcons – is set to make his mark for the team after telling the club of his desire to return to Victoria for family reasons.
Crows head of football Adam Kelly confirmed Rahilly’s wishes on Saturday, noting the deputy has played a leading role in Adelaide’s recent improvement.
“James has played a key role in the development of our team over the past three years and last week it was great to see him recognized with an AFL Coaches Association award,” Kelly said.
“A number of our forwards have improved significantly under his leadership and he has been instrumental in the group when it comes to our ball movement, giving us enough strength to move forward.
So while it is a shame that James will not continue to work with us in 2024, we also understand the nature of the industry and he has the opportunity to continue his career at home. So we wish him, his wife Georgia, and their children Van, Hyde, Wren, and West all the best for the future.
Although he had the option to return home, Rahilly emphasized that the decision was not easy.
“I loved my time here and became very close with the players, coaches, and staff,” Rahilly said.
“I am also very proud of the progress we have made over the last three years under Nicksy and it is clear that the club is moving in the right direction and towards success in the near future.
“I want to thank Adelaide for giving me the opportunity to expand my coaching experience in 2021, but now the opportunity to continue this at home with my family is too good to pass up, and I leave wishing only the best for the club.”
After playing 90 games for the Cats between 1998 and 2005, Rahilly first returned to Kardinia Park in 2008, managing the club’s youngest player in his role as Geelong’s development coach.
Rahilly also gave Chris Scott a taste of premiership glory in 2011, serving as a full-time assistant in Scott’s first season at Pivot City.
The pair will meet again in the 2024 season, with Rahilly set to sit alongside fellow assistants James Kelly, Nigel Lappin, and Shane O’Bree.
Rahilly’s arrival follows Shaun Grigg’s decision to step down in a bid to take up a role at the Gold Coast under his former head coach, Damien Hardwick.
Adelaide has confirmed that they will announce Rahilly’s replacement and finalize the coaching staff for the 2024 season in the coming weeks.
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