Daniel Kerr with Thornlie Football Club president Wayne Barrett.
Camera IconDaniel Kerr with Thornlie Football Club president Wayne Barrett. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Former West Coast Eagle Daniel Kerr looking forward to first coaching test

Ben SmithComment News

EX-West Coast Eagles star Daniel Kerr is relishing the chance to begin his coaching career with Thornlie Football Club.

Kerr, who played 220 AFL games for the Eagles and was a key part of their 2006 Premiership, has signed on as Thornlie’s senior coach for the 2018 Western Australian Amateur Football League season.

The 2005 Brownlow Medal runner-up said he was excited for his first coaching job and thankful for the opportunity.

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“I’ve always been interested in football and the three sides to it, watching, playing and coaching,” he said.

“Now I’ve got the offer to try coaching, I’m looking forward to seeing how much I enjoy it.

“I’ve been coaching kids to some degree for the last two years, so it’s going to be interesting to see how I go coaching adults.”

While his focus will be on coaching, the 2007 All-Australian midfielder admitted he was entertaining thoughts of being a player-coach.

“At this point I’m just signed onto coach, but I’m looking at doing pre-season with the boys, seeing how fit I get and looking at playing a few games,” he said.

Thornlie Football Club president Wayne Barrett said they were delighted to have secured someone of Kerr’s pedigree as coach.

“It was a long process, there were a lot of clubs chasing him. In the end, I think Daniel realised being close to home was beneficial to him as he’s got a young family,” he said.

“Director of football Mick Fraser deserves all the credit, we were chasing a coach to take us into B Grade and he came to me and said ‘Daniel Kerr is available and he is pretty keen on coaching.’”

Thornlie Football Club is currently searching for eager players in both their men’s and women’s teams ahead of the upcoming season.

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