The Sydney Swans are pleased to welcome Leon Cameron as the new Coaching Director of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

Cameron brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role, after 193 games at the helm of GWS, where he guided the team to the finals five times, including the 2019 AFL Grand Final.

Prior to his role at the Giants, Cameron spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs and was part of the coaching team that led the Hawks to the 2012 AFL Grand Final against the Sydney Swans.

A veteran of 256 AFL games as a player for Footscray/Western Bulldogs and Richmond, Cameron will oversee the Academy program that now includes over 600 participants across male and female talent programs. 

Sydney Swans Executive GM – Football Charlie Gardiner said the club is thrilled to welcome someone of Cameron’s calibre to head up the Academy.

“Leon has always been much admired and respected by everyone at our footy club, so we are delighted to be able to appoint him as the new Coaching Director of our Academy,” Gardiner said.

“The QBE Sydney Swans Academy is an incredibly important pathway program to develop elite men’s and women’s talent and help grow the code in New South Wales. Over the past 12 years the Academy has helped develop more than 3000 aspiring young boys and girls, whilst also developing elite talent such as the likes of Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills, Nick Blakey, and more recently Ella Heads, Ruby Sargent-Wilson and Kiara Beesley.

“Leon brings a wealth of AFL experience in coaching and high performance, and we are incredibly fortunate to have someone of his standing in the game lead our Academy in the years ahead. We know the athletes and families who are part of our Academy program will be in very good hands.

“On behalf of the club I would like to welcome Leon, his wife Carolyn, and children Amelia, Harry and Jack to the Sydney Swans family.”

Cameron will officially commence in the role in November.