Claremont coach McPhee heads to St Kilda
Claremont premiership coach Simon McPhee has quit the club to take a job under Scott Waters at St Kilda.
McPhee will become St Kilda's development coach and coach of VFL affiliate Sandringham.
The premiership-winning coach, who took the Tigers to two WAFL grand finals and the Foxtel Cup play-off in his two full seasons at the club, goes with Claremont’s blessing.
“We are about developing coaches as well as players and so we wish Simon all the best for the future,” Claremont president Ken Venables said.
Claremont have not got a preferred replacement and are likely to advertise the job in the next week.
Claremont football director Tony Evans will lead the hunt for a new coach.
Claremont chief executive said the club hoped to appoint McPhee’s replacement by the end of November.
Pre-season training starts in the first week of December.
“Simon and the club worked very hard to establish a strong culture and it will be important for the new coach to maintain that,” Shimmon said.
“It is a prime job though and we expect a strong field to apply.
“We have good zones, we have a strong playing list and we expect that if we work hard we will continue to succeed.”
Claremont recently agreed to appoint McPhee full-time though they were aware he had been asked to apply for a West Coast development job.
A former WAFL reserves player, McPhee was Claremont’s colts coach in 2009 when he was elevated to the senior job when Roger Kerr was sacked.
McPhee took the Tigers to the 2010 grand final where they were beaten by one point by Swan Districts.
The club went one better this season, beating Subiaco by 56 points.
McPhee’s wife is from Melbourne and it is understood the St Kilda job has come at an ideal time for their family.
