Matthew Ferguson is one of two St Kilda discards that Casey Scorpions general manager Brian Woodman is hoping to recruit for next year. 21840 Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Marc McGowan
CASEY Scorpions officials will announce former AFL star Peter German as their new coach this week.
Scorpions general manager Brian Woodman would not confirm German’s appointment but said they were “very close” to an announcement.
Three people with AFL coaching experience were interviewed for the position that Greg Hutchison filled this season.
Hutchison turned down the Casey job to become St Kilda’s new football manager.
The Scorpions and Melbourne Football Club (MFC) will also announce their new VFL-AFL alignment this week, following the Saints’ decision to sever ties with Casey this year after eight seasons.
MFC, Casey Council and the Scorpions will also announce a deal early next week that will see the AFL club use Casey Fields as a temporary summer training base.
MFC will train at Casey Fields from Thursday 6 November.
Casey Fields curators have already been re-laying turf on the VFL oval in anticipation of MFC’s arrival.
German, 43, played 185 games for North Melbourne between 1984 and 1994.
He has also been an assistant coach at AFL clubs Fremantle, West Coast and Hawthorn, and coached WAFL club Subiaco to two premierships.
Meanwhile, Casey’s former AFL partner St Kilda delisted Shane Birss, Matthew Ferguson, Michael Rix, Charlie Gardiner, Jayden Attard, Glenn Chivers and Luke van Rheenen from its list this week.
Woodman revealed that Birss and Ferguson, both former Gippsland Power juniors, were prime recruiting targets for next year.
“Guys like Shane Birss and Matthew Ferguson are certainly players we’re interested in, and over the next week or so, as with the other AFL delistees, we may have contact with them,” Woodman said.
“We see ourselves as needing at least one, if not two, more-mature senior players to help support our young team.”
The Scorpions also inquired about former Carlton and Sydney Swans player Jason Saddington’s services before he accepted a role at the Northern Bullants.
