AFL Sydney rep squad coaches announced

Rhys McAlister will coach the Senior side while Chris Hughes has been re-appointed as Development Squad coach.

Both sides will be in action over the June long weekend with the AFL Sydney Senior Squad hosting AFL Cairns at Blacktown, and the Development Squad travelling to Wagga Wagga to play Riverina FL.

AFL Sydney Football Operations Manager Matthew Graham was pleased to announce the appointment of two high-quality coaches.

“The representative program is very important to AFL Sydney and both these coaches have tasted success in recent times,” Graham said.

“Rhys was the premiership-winning player coach with the UNSW-ES Bulldogs and Chris did a great job in charge of the Development Squad last year in their win over Farrer.”

Both the Senior and Development squads will be looking to overturn losses sustained to these opponents when they last played two years ago.

McAlister is looking forward to the challenge.

“I really believe representative footy is the best forum we have to showcase the high level of talent that we have in this league,” he said.

“I am really excited about assembling a strong side that I want to play with real pride in their competition.”

The defender, who has a vast amount of experience with clubs in NSW and the ACT, believes the side can perform well on the big stage.

“The guys that we select to play all clearly understand how to play the game at a high level…so it will be kept very simple,” he said.

“We would like AFL Cairns to know they have played a hard, physical, pressure-oriented side who defend incredibly well.”