Two-time premiership Tiger Josh Caddy has been unveiled as the new player-coach for the Port Melbourne Colts in the Southern Football League.
Originally drafted with pick No.7 by Gold Coast in 2010, Caddy would go on to play 174 games across three clubs, including Geelong, retiring this season. The Tigers fan favourite kicked the opening goal in the 2017 AFL grand final.
Caddy's family has a history with the Colts - his older brother Saul played in the club's 2005-06 premierships.
"We're all pretty excited," Port Melbourne Colts president Stephen Duvnjak said, via News Corp.Â
"His brother used to play with us, so Josh was hanging around the club when he was 14 and 15, he knows the club pretty well."
After retiring earlier this year, he spent the back half playing for Northern League side Greensborough.
"I think going to Greensborough for his eight games was perfect for him, he's seen what a local club is like and what works, what doesn't, and I think this opportunity for him is going to be amazing because he can take his knowledge form the AFL system and playing at local level and develop his own methodology," Duvnjak said.
Caddy played under premiership winning coaches Chris Scott and Damien Hardwick, and was in a leadership role with Richmond. He will look to take his learnings to his own side now.
"It was absolutely a no brainer after chatting to him that he's a natural leader and is exactly the sort of person we're looking for,'" Duvnjak said.
"He was in the Richmond leadership group so he knows how to lead young men.
"And he relates to the players because he's a similar age.
"We've been building this list for five years.
"We've got a huge amount of young players around 20 but our core group is probably pushing towards their late 20s and they all want to push for finals and have that professionalism at a local club, too.'"
Port Melbourne finished seventh in Division 1 this season and will look to push up the ladder with Caddy playing and coaching them next season.
