North Adelaide have parted ways with senior coach Jacob Surjan, with current assistant Sam Mayes to step in as interim coach for the remainder of the season.
The decision ends Surjan's six-year stint in the top job at Prospect, in which he coached 97 games for a win-loss record of 53-44.
The former Port Adelaide stalwart took over as coach prior to the 2020 season after leading the Roosters' reserves side to the 2018 premiership.
Surjan led North Adelaide to two league grand finals, but fell short to Woodville-West Torrens in 2020 and Norwood in 2022.
North have not made the finals since the heartbreaking loss to the Redlges, finishing the 2023 and 2024 campaigns with 8-10 records.
The Roosters have endured a tough start to the 2025 season, currently holding a 2-4 record following disappointing losses to Central District and West Adelaide at home.
Mayes will take over the reins just eight months after hanging up the boots at Prospect following a long battle with concussion.
He moved immediately into an assistant coaching role and is now the Roosters' head of development and an assistant coach for the SA state team.
North Adelaide president Kris Mooney explained that the decision was made with a view to remaining competitive in 2025.
โIn pursuit of maintaining a competitive edge in 2025, the Board of Directors has made the decision to part ways with Senior Coach Jacob Surjan, effective immediately,โ Mooney said.
โJacob's contract is set to conclude at the end of the season, and the Board remains committed to shaping a strong future for the club. While this transition comes earlier than anticipated, we believe it positions the team to maximise its potential in 2025.โ
Mooney also paid tribute to Surjan's contribution to the club and the impact he had in his eight years at Prospect.
โWe recognise Jacob's invaluable contributions to the club, both since his appointment in 2020 and earlier as the club's Development Coach under Josh Carr from 2017 to 2019. His role was instrumental in the 2018 premiership," he added.
โWe also extend our heartfelt appreciation to Jacob's family โ his wife Alison and their children โ who have been deeply embedded in the club's journey. Their unwavering support has been essential in making his contributions possible.โ
Mooney spoke glowingly of interim coach Sam Mayes and what he can offer for the remainder of the season.
โHis deep understanding of our team as Head of Development and Assistant Coach, together with Sam's experience as a player in the AFL and SANFL, equips him well to guide us through this transition.
The Roosters have 12 home and away games remaining in 2025 and next face Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Saturday, 24 May at 2:10pm.
