Guerra in running for WAFL positions
Dual Hawthorn premiership defender Brent Guerra will apply to fill the coaching vacancies at Perth and South Fremantle ahead of the looming deadline for both roles.
The 255-game defender, whose career was split across stints at the Hawks, St Kilda and Port Adelaide, is planning to pursue a senior coaching career.
He is understood to have been alerted to the opportunities by 2008 Hawthorn premiership teammate Chance Bateman, who has played the past two seasons for Perth.
Applications for the Demons' position close today, with the Bulldogs' deadline expiring tomorrow.
Guerra has spent the past nine months working as a part-time development coach at Hawthorn.
The 32-year-old, who retired after last year's premiership, has no family connections in Perth, having been born in Victoria and selected by Port Adelaide in the 1999 national draft.
But it is believed Bateman would be happy to support him as an assistant if he won either position.
A self-confessed party boy early in his career, Guerra matured into a mainstay of Hawthorn's defence during his 159-game career with the club.
He was known for his deadly left boot and toughness, but is reputed to have developed into an astute reader of the game.
Dual Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson praised Guerra's experience prior to the defender's post-retirement appointment last year.
"As a senior player 'Goo' demonstrated a talent in teaching and developing many of our younger players," Clarkson said.
He is not the only former player vying for the positions, with recently-retired Kris Miller also in the running.
Miller, 33, called it quits last month after a highly-decorated career that earnt him life membership at both South Fremantle and East Fremantle.
Earlier this year, he became only the sixth man to play 300 WAFL matches and is a four-times best-and-fairest winner and 2009 premiership player with the Bulldogs.
Former St Kilda coach Scott Watters remains a strong contender for the Bulldogs role. It is understood he is weighing up several offers from AFL clubs, but is considering a return to his original WAFL club.
Watters is a dual premiership coach with Subiaco.
If appointed, it would make him the first person with senior AFL coaching experience to return to lead a WAFL side since former Eagles coach John Todd took the helm at Swan Districts in 1990.
… 'Goo' (Guerra) demonstrated a talent in teaching and developing … younger players." *Alastair Clarkson *
