McVeigh joins GIANTS Academy
McVeigh played 232 games for the Bombers and has been working at AFL NSW/ACT as Talent and Coaching Manager for the Sydney North region since he retired at the end of 2012.
Brother of the Swans’ co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, he grew up on the Central Coast and played for Pennant Hills before he was drafted to Essendon at the end of 1998.
GIANTS Chief Executive David Matthews welcomed McVeigh to the GIANTS. “Mark has been working with the Swans Academy in his role with the AFL NSW/ACT and we see him as a great fit for this important position with the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy,” he said.
“We will have about 500 players aged between 13 and 19 involved with the Academy next year and we are committed to continuing to develop young talent in our region across Western Sydney, Canberra and New South Wales.
“I also want to thank Lachlan Buszard who has headed up the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy for the past three years and is now returning home to Melbourne with his wife Carolyn ahead of the birth of their first child.
“Lachie was one of the first employees of the GIANTS and has done a fantastic job to develop this program and oversee the transition of players like Zac Williams and Harry Cunningham into AFL ranks. We wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”
McVeigh said he was looking forward to his new role to develop young talent across Western Sydney, NSW and the ACT.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to nurture young talent from the region through the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy,” he said.
“As somebody who grew up playing AFL in NSW I am passionate about giving kids an opportunity to pursue their dream to play the game at the highest level. We have already seen the talent produced in this region and I’m sure there will be a lot more in the years to come.”
General Manager of AFL NSW/ACT Tom Harley said McVeigh would be a great addition to the GIANTS.
“On behalf of AFL NSW/ACT I would like to congratulate Mark on his appointment to the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy, his experience will be invaluable in developing the next generation of local players for the club and beyond,” he said.
“Mark has spent the last 12 months following his retirement with us at AFL NSW/ACT and has made a tremendous contribution to our talent and coaching programs.
“It is a testament to the quality of the football programs here in NSW/ACT that elite players are continuing their careers in talent and coaching with us, and we welcome their involvement in shaping our future AFL talent.”
