THE PORT ADELAIDE FOOTBALL CLUB is pleased to welcome Scott Thompson back to Alberton on a two-year contract as a midfield development coach.

Thompson says the transition to full-time coaching should be a smooth one after acting as a mentor to the Adelaide Football Club’s young midfielders during his latter seasons playing with the Crows.

“As a senior player it’s natural to take on that sort of responsibility but it helped me realise I have a genuine passion to help young players get the best out of themselves,” he said.

“Port Adelaide has an exciting group of young midfielders and I’m also looking forward to working closely with the likes of Ken Hinkley, Michael Voss and Matt Lokan – who I know well from my school and junior football days.

“It seems like a lifetime ago that I was finding my way as a youngster at Alberton but it’s a great feeling to be back where my footy began.”

Port Adelaide’s General Manager of Football, Chris Davies, says Thompson brings valuable skills and experience to the role.

“Being so recently out of the game as a player, Scott can relate to our young midfielders on a player-to-player basis,” he said.

“And after working in a mentor role with Adelaide he also brings a level of coaching experience.”

Thompson originally joined the Magpies in 1995, working his way through junior levels to play eight games with the reserves before being drafted by Melbourne with pick 16 in the 2000 National Draft.

He was traded to the Crows ahead of the 2005 season and, after returning to the city of Adelaide, played his lone senior game with the Magpies that year.

The 34-year-old went on to win two club champion awards with Adelaide and earned All-Australian selection in 2012 before retiring at the end of the 2017 season after a total of 308 AFL games.

The Port Adelaide Football Club is also pleased to announce that Stuart Cochrane has been appointed as Director of Academies, in charge of the club’s Next Generation Academies.

Cochrane brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent more than a decade working in player welfare and development with Port Adelaide.

Before that he played 104 AFL games including 54 for the Power.

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