SA Footy

KEVIN Sheedy will today be appointed the first coach of West Sydney.
The three-year appointment will include West Sydney's first year in the AFL - 2012.

In a blow to rugby league's heartland, the announcement will be made at Blacktown and will be attended by AFL heavyweights.

Sheedy, 61, did not want to comment yesterday.

Will Sheedy make a good West Sydney coach? Have your say below and blog with Scott Gullan from 11am

But an AFL official gushed: "This is a match made in heaven.

"He is unbelievably excited about taking this on. Others would be daunted walking into rugby league heartland, but he is jumping out of his skin."

The coaching legend signed a multi-million-dollar deal on Friday and will move to Sydney in the new year with wife Geraldine.


Sheedy has worked as an ambassador for the AFL for the past two years and has impressed league bosses with his willingness to promote the code on football's frontiers.

His high profile will be invaluable in western Sydney, an area known for its love of rugby league.

His recruitment eclipses the defection of NRL star Karmichael Hunt to AFL's planned Gold Coast franchise as a blow to rugby league. It will have the same impact on the game in Sydney as the appointment of fellow AFL legend Ron Barassi as Swans coach in the early 1990s.

Sheedy's value to the western Sydney venture goes beyond his coaching ability. He is a walking, talking headline who brings priceless promotional value to the franchise.

Insiders said while Sheedy wants to make history by making the western Sydney venture a success, he also felt he had more to offer as a coach after his 27-season tenure at Essendon ended with a whimper in 2007.

"Kevin feels he has unfinished business as an AFL coach," said one source close to the deal.

Sheedy will join high performance manager Allan McConnell, who will coach Greater Western Sydney in next year's TAC Cup.

Sheedy did not lose the passion for coaching after he was replaced at Essendon by Matthew Knights.

The Bombers' great applied for and missed the Melbourne job for the 2008 season, which was won by Dean Bailey.

He withdrew his nomination for the Richmond position this year when he learnt the club favoured a younger coach, who turned out to be Damien Hardwick.

It was believed Sheedy would be appointed to the West Sydney board in a role similar to that of Malcolm Blight at Gold Coast.

Today's appointment will surprise many for it was believed Sheedy would not coach again. Inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame, Sheedy coached the Bombers from 1981 to 2007 and in that time took the club to 19 finals series.

He won premierships in 1984-85, 1993 and 2000.

stan wrote:Although I dont agree with the new team coming from West Sydney, from a purely football point of veiw as, this is actually a good move for a new young team. I believe he will add plenty to them.

Dog_ger wrote:He is the new "Pink Helicopter".

Footy Chick wrote:What will their nickname be?

The bogans?

LBT wrote:Well the AFL are desperate to get West Sydney off the ground and this appointment will please them greatly.

In a blow to rugby league's heartland, the announcement will be made at Blacktown and will be attended by AFL heavyweights.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sheedy-to-coach-west-sydney/story-e6frf7jo-1225795569373

Sojourner wrote:How many venues do Penrith own at the last count? 43 is it? Parramatta in a similar situation, how many millions of dollars do each club turn over in a year??? How many locals not only dont know about AFL but openly hate the code?

Guess they really must be shaking in their boots!