HAWTHORN would have been asking too much of Brendon Bolton to stay at the club for the remainder of the season, according to GM – Football Operations Chris Fagan.
Bolton was today appointed Carlton’s new coach, becoming the fifth former assistant of current Hawks’ Coach Alastair Clarkson to find a senior coaching role at another AFL club in recent years.
He will depart the club prior to the Hawks’ match against Brisbane Lions on Saturday.
“When you’re appointed the senior coach of an AFL club, there’s a lot of work to be done,” Fagan said today.
“I imagine there’s a lot of work to be done at Carlton, whether it be working out his coaching staff or list decisions and all those things, they take a lot of time.
“For us to think that Brendon could do that and also give 100% as the forward line coach at Hawthorn, I think that would be asking for too much.
“Clarko thinks the same, and Bolts thinks the same.”
Bolton joined the Hawks’ coaching panel in late 2008, and Fagan said the club was proud and excited that he will follow in the footsteps of former assistants Damien Hardwick, Adam Simpson, Leon Cameron and Luke Beveridge.
“Bolts has been a great operator in our coaching group for I think seven years now, the first couple of years coaching Box Hill, and then more recently as the midfield coach and the forward line coach,” Fagan said.
“We’re disappointed to lose him, but we’re really excited for him as well.”
“We as a club are proud of those guys, and we’re also proud of the fact that we are able to develop coaches who are desired within the AFL system.”
Fagan said the club had complete confidence in Head of Development Academy Damian Carroll, who will step into Bolton’s role as the forward line coach.
“He’s had a lot of experience here in the last four or five years, so he pretty much knows what’s required and we think that transition will be seamless,” he said.
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