Daniel Giansiracusa has been named as the AFL Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year for 2020.

The award, voted on by the players and coaches, recognised the sizeable impact Giansiracusa made this year, as he admirably performed a number of coaching roles.

Giansiracusa has completed his fifth year of coaching - a pursuit he stepped straight into following a glittering 265-game career for the Western Bulldogs.

He was set to continue his role as Footscray’s VFL head coach in 2020, leading the team that he took to the finals in his first year at the helm in 2019.  But with the disruption of the season his role shifted, and he coached the Bulldogs’ match simulation games and worked on opposition analysis.

The Bulldogs used 40 players in season 2020 – the equal most in the competition – with many players earning their spot by performing well in scratch matches under Giansiracusa’s tutelage.

Giansiracusa has coached at the Western Bulldogs since 2015, initially looking after the forward line before moving into the stoppages and set plays portfolio, and later taking charge of his own team in the VFL.

The Assistant Coach of the Year award is based on input from the players and coaches, on a 50-50 basis.  Coaches asked to rate the assistant and development coaches at their club, based on their overall performance this year, allocating each a score out of 10 (10 being the highest score). 

Each assistant and development coach received an average score out of 10 from their club’s coaching panel, which was matched by an average score out of 10 from their playing group, to determine an overall score.

Geelong’s Nigel Lappin finished in second place, with Carlton’s Luke Power third.