St Kilda Football Club Development Coach and VFL Senior Coach Paul Hudson has informed the club he will not seek an extension to his coaching contract beyond this season so that he may pursue other opportunities.
After playing 245 games for Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and Richmond from 1990-2002, Hudson has overseen the Saints’ VFL side Sandringham Zebras since 2015 and been part of St Kilda’s coaching department since joining the club at the end of 2010.
Hudson has spent the last three seasons working under Senior Coach Alan Richardson, who wished Hudson well and thanked him for his time with the club.
"Paul has been a valued member of our coaching panel over the past six years, and we thank him for his service and commitment to the club," he said.
"He has had a profound impact on the development of our playing group and has been an invaluable member of our football department.
"All at the Saints wish Paul and his family every success for the future," Richardson said.
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Before joining St Kilda Football Club as a development coach, Hudson worked as an assistant coach with Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Football Clubs, and was the coach of TAC Cup team Gippsland Power in 2005.
He was named VFL Coach of the Year in 2015 after taking the Zebras to a preliminary final.
Sandringham President Danny Corcoran lauded Hudson for his passion and professionalism during his two-year stint at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
“We will certainly miss Paul, who has decided that the time is right for a change of direction,” Corcoran said.
“Paul was named VFL Coach of the Year in 2015 and has done an outstanding job in his tenure as coach of Sandringham.
“His passion for the game, St Kilda and the Sandringham Football Clubs was always evident and he always conducted himself with such a professional attitude.”
Both St Kilda FC and Sandringham FC thank Hudson for his service and commitment over the past six years, and look forward to a successful VFL finals campaign in 2016.
