The Western Bulldogs today confirmed the appointment of former West Coast Premiership player Ashley Hansen as its Development Coach for 2013.

Hansen brings a wealth of experience to Whitten Oval, having been part of an elite football program at West Coast for a decade, and most recently excelling in the role of playing assistant coach for WAFL Club Swan Districts, where he worked closely with a young, emerging forward line group.

General Manager of Football, James Fantasia said Hansen’s background in exercise science coupled with his extensive AFL experience, made him a good fit for the role.

“Ashley is another person we’ve brought into the club, who possesses some terrific characteristics which we believe will be beneficial to our developing group of players,” Fantasia said.

“We know Ashley is a terrific club person, and his AFL experience along with a Master’s degree in Exercise Science make him another quality acquisition to our football department.”

In a coaching reshuffle, former Bulldog Rohan Smith will move into an assistant coaching role, focussing on the team’s defensive line while Brett Montgomery will fill the specialised role of  full-time Strategy and Opposition Coach.

The Club also announced the appointment of Physical Conditioning Coordinator, Nick Stone to support High Performance Manager, Graham Lowe and Strength Coach, Andy Barnett in a new-look High Performance team.