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WAFC High Performance Manager heading to Kangaroos

THE manager of Western Australia’s highly successful talent academy program, Jon Haines, is set to embark on the next chapter of his career after being offered a Development Manager’s role with North Melbourne Football Club.

Haines, who has worked for the West Australian Football Commission for almost three years, most recently as High Performance Manager, headed up the undefeated State 18s program in 2009 and has been instrumental in making WA’s talent pathway an outstanding success. 

He will commence his new role with North Melbourne next month, a week before the AFL Draft, and will be responsible for establishing a development academy for the club’s first, second and third year players.

Haines said he was looking forward to the opportunity and thanked everyone at the WAFC for their support and assistance over the last few years in building WA’s reputation as an industry leader in player development.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as the High Performance Manager with the WA Football Commission. We have been able to implement some strategic changes to the WA talent pathway and WA coaching pathway which has yielded great results and will hold the state in sound stead going forward,” Haines said.

“I’m excited with the current group of young players coming through and am confident that the collaborative approach that underpins WA football at present will continue to foster players as they progress through the pathway.

“I would like to acknowledge all the wonderful people that I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside over the past few years. The energy and passion of the people involved in WA football is a key ingredient to our state’s success.

“I’m proud of the contribution that I have made to football in WA, particularly the progress that has been made with the WA State Academy and the coaching pathway. I have no doubt that my successor will build on these strong foundations and continue to maintain WA as the number one development state in Australia,” he said.

WAFC Director of Football Grant Dorrington congratulated Haines on his appointment and said it was great to see WAFC staff receiving opportunities at AFL level as some of the most sought after football minds in the nation.

“While Jon will obviously be missed by the WAFC, we congratulate him on his outstanding achievements and the opportunity this has presented to further his career at AFL level,” Mr Dorrington said.

“The work that Jon has done with WA’s player talent pathway and coaching development program has been exceptional and I’m sure he will be able to implement this success in his new role at North Melbourne.

“Jon’s departure also provides an exciting opportunity for someone else to step into this strategic leadership role. The selection process for this leadership role will commence immediately.”

At the past two AFL Drafts, some 40 per cent of players picked in the top 10 have graduated from the WAFC talent pathway, with a total of 74 draftees coming from WA in the last three years, including 2008’s top 10 selections Nick Naitanui, Stephen Hill and Daniel Rich.