Todd Curley named as new Bulldogs coach for at least two yearsWednesday, August 20, 2014 - 4:48 PM - by Chris Pike

THE South Fremantle Football Club has announced the appointment of Todd Curley as its new senior coach for at least the next two WAFL seasons.

The South Fremantle Football Club and current senior coach Paul Hasleby both decided that he would not be seeking a renewal of his contract once the 2014 season expires and that opened the door for the Bulldogs to search for the best candidates to fill the chair for 2015 and beyond.

After an extensive nation-wide search and with the coaching selection panel headed up by South Fremantle great and West Coast Eagles premiership captain and coach John Worsfold, and dual South Fremantle premiership player and premiership captain David Gault, Curley was appointed to lead the Bulldogs back to glory and to finals for the first time since 2011.

Curley arrives at South Fremantle with tremendous pedigree both as a player in the AFL and WAFL, and coach in both the AFL and WAFL as well.

The 41-year-old is a former captain and dual premiership player at West Perth in the WAFL while also having been the senior coach of the Falcons, playing in the AFL with Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, and most recently being an assistant coach at the Fremantle Dockers.

Curley's AFL career began in 1994 with Collingwood where he played three matches, but after returning to West Perth and having an outstanding 1995 including being a big part of the WAFL premiership, he was picked up by the Western Bulldogs.

He went on to play 115 games with the Bulldogs as a rock solid defender in teams that went ever so close to a grand final appearance. 

His time at the Whitten Oval ended at the end of 2001 and he returned to West Perth for four more seasons in the WAFL with the Falcons where he played in another premiership in 2003 and spent time as captain up until the end of 2005.

He was then appointed coach to replace Darren Harris and spent three years at the helm finishing with a 31-31 (with one draw) win-loss record and making the finals two out of the three seasons.

Curley departed West Perth to become an assistant coach at Fremantle in the AFL in 2009 where he remained until 2012, and now he is taking on the senior coaching role at South Fremantle and is thankful at the opportunity provided by the Bulldogs.

"I'm really excited at the opportunity to get back into a senior coaching role in the WAFL especially at a fantastic traditional club such as South Fremantle," Curley said.

"The club has had some very positive performances of late and I look forward to meeting with the players over the coming weeks.

"I thank the South Fremantle Football Club for their faith in me and look forward to the team finishing the 2014 strongly before we begin working hard over the summer in preparation for 2015."

South Fremantle chief executive Stuart Kemp is thrilled with the appointment of Curley as the next senior coach of the Bulldogs and has no doubt he is the right man for the job after a thorough search to fill the position.

"We are thrilled to appoint a coach of Todd’s quality," Kemp said.

"He has an outstanding history in the game and we feel he is the right person to take this young group forward. His coaching and playing experience gives the club great confidence that we are heading in the right direction.

"The candidates for the role were all of high quality in their own right and I want to thank them for their commitment to the process."