Former North Melbourne star Adam Simpson will coach West Coast in the AFL, with the Eagles set to make the announcement on Friday.
The Eagles have announced a three-year deal for Simpson.
He’ll take over from John Worsfold, who left the job early last month after 12 years.
This will be the first senior coaching job for Simpson.
He won the job ahead of Fremantle assistant coach and former West Coast star forward Peter Sumich.
Simpson, 37, played 306 games in a 15-year career with the Kangaroos.
He captained them for five seasons and played in their 1996 and `99 premiership teams.
Simpson reportedly flew to Perth on Thursday to meet with Eagles officials.
Since he retired as a player in 2009, Simpson has been an assistant coach at Hawthorn under Alastair Clarkson.
The Hawks beat Fremantle last Saturday to win the premiership.
“I am grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to moving across to Perth with my family and settling in to the challenge ahead,” Simpson said in a club statement.
“I have always admired West Coast from afar and I believe the list has an exciting mix of senior and emerging young players.”
Simpson also thanked Clarkson and Hawks football manager Chris Fagan.
“Hawthorn has been fantastic for me in the last four years and it was certainly a great experience to be a part of the coaching group as the club achieved the ultimate success last Saturday,” he said.
“Being so closely involved from a coaching perspective has provided me with a sense of the hard work which has to be done to achieve a premiership.
“I obviously enjoyed that feeling as a player, but it is different as a coach.
“I will move across to Perth as soon as possible and I look forward to meeting the players and working with them from the start of pre-season.”
Eagles chairman Alan Cransberg thanked Sumich and fellow candidates Leigh Tudor and Scott Burns, who is currently a West Coast assistant coach.
“It was a tough job for the selection panel and the board to arrive at this unanimous decision, but we believe Adam is best equipped to take the club forward,” Cransberg said.
