North Launceston are set to announce Tom Couch as their new State League senior playing coach on Wednesday.
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As revealed exclusively by Fairfax Media on October 17, the son of the late Geelong Brownlow Medallist Paul Couch was the frontrunner for the coaching job with the Northern Bombers.
The 28-year-old will replace dual premiership coach Zane Littlejohn who has taken up a development role with AFL club the Brisbane Lions.
Couch will also take up the Simon Black Academy coaching position in the North of the state with Glenorchy coach Aaron Cornelius appointed in the South while continuing to coach the Magpies in the TSL.
Couch was one of a shortlist of three candidates for the North coaching job – two from interstate and one internal applicant who was part of this year’s coaching panel under Littlejohn.
North Launceston had settled on Couch as their preferred replacement for Littlejohn after he visited the club in mid-October and began talks with his manager.
It is understood they had an in-principle agreement with Couch to coach but it took some time to finalise the contract and the announcement was delayed because he has been away in Western Australia.
Couch was picked up in the 2011 AFL rookie draft by Melbourne and spent the next two seasons with the Demons managing three AFL senior games.
He won a VFL club best and fairest with Melbourne’s affiliate the Casey Scorpions and was runner-up for the VFL’s Liston Trophy as best and fairest player in 2012.
An inside midfielder, he played VFL football with Collingwood in 2011 and 2014 and with Richmond this season. He has a level 2 AFL coaching accreditation and is a qualified strength and conditioning coach.
