Experienced coach Brett Ratten is set to move from Hawthorn to Richmond as the Tigers' head of coaching and strategy from 2027.
Ratten has been the head of coaching and development at the Hawks since 2024, and worked closely with the VFL premiership-winning Box Hill side throughout this year.
He was an assistant coach during the Hawks' highly successful three-peat era of 2013-2015 and his coaching resume extends over more than 18 years.
The highly experienced former Carlton and St Kilda senior coach originally knocked back an approach from Richmond in late 2023, but he has now agreed to make the move to Punt Road.
Ratten has worked alongside current Richmond coach Adem Yze before in assistant coaching roles during their time together at Hawthorn.
Richmond GM of football performance Tim Livingstone said the club was delighted to welcome Ratten to Tigerland.
“Brett will lead the club's coach development programs, play a key role in the development of all our coaches and coaching framework, helping us maximise team and individual performance during an important period for our playing group," Livingstone said.
“As a senior assistant to Adem, he will also strengthen our coaching group, with a particular focus on our defensive system across all lines, in game trends and opposition preparation.”
He was Carlton's senior coach from 2007-2012, St Kilda's from 2019-2022 and was at North Melbourne in a caretaker capacity in 2023, before joining the Hawks ahead of the 2024 season.
A star Carlton player in his day, Ratten played 255 games for the Blues from 1990-2003.
The in-and-under midfielder produced a glittering career at Carlton, winning a premiership in 1995, three best-and-fairests, two All-Australians and captained the side for two seasons.
Ratten will play a crucial role in the development of Richmond's abundance of talent, with the likes of Sam Lalor, Taj Hotton, Josh Smillie, Jonty Faull, Sam Cumming, Sam Grlj and more to receive the benefits of his football wisdom.
