The Goulburn Valley League veteran is taking the reins as player coach for 2022, handed the baton by the outgoing Paul Hawke who stood at the helm for the past four years.
And he’ll have some help in transitioning.
Brett Warburton, who coached the Swans to a flag in 2014, alongside current under-18 coach Rob Auld will serve as Riordan’s aide-de-camps, with president Jarrod Sutherland voicing his elation at the appointment.
“Andrew is one of our favourite sons and a natural leader on and off the field,” Sutherland said.
“We are delighted that he is stepping up into this role to support the club in its long-term coaching plans.
“We are focused on the long-term development and sustainability of our club, our playing and coaching groups and Andrew will be well supported in his role as a young and developing coach, with plenty still to offer as a quality player.”
Though the Swans won just two games during a truncated 2021 season, youth was thrusted to the club’s forefront.
Consistently fielding one of the youngest sides in the competition, the likes of Zac Alderton, Nathan Rachele and Ty Collison had breakout seasons for the Swans in a difficult year.
Add in the performances of teenage trio Ethan Warburton, Diesel Batey and Max Clohesy and it is obvious as to why Sutherland raves about the long term.
“We have a longer term view for our senior coaching group and the development of our exciting young list,” he said.
“The Swans are well placed to improve over the next four years with a good mix of experience and youth coming through.
“We will retain most of our experienced list and our under-18s are loaded with talent and were well placed to do some damage in the finals in 2020 and 2021 before COVID intervened.
“We will be supporting this group with an experienced and dynamic coaching panel and hope to be announcing some key recruits soon to help team development.”
Lastly, Sutherland thanked the effort of Hawke in laying the foundations in years gone by.
“Paul Hawke is a great club man and has done a tremendous job over the past four years developing our kids and we need to be capitalising on his good work going forward.”
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