Adelaide fitness boss Darren Burgess is expected to depart the club and move across the border to Victoria, with Carlton the likely landing spot for the highly acclaimed coach.
Burgess is well-known in the high-performance industry, having served English soccer clubs Arsenal and Liverpool, respectively, while assisting Australia's men's soccer team ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He also held stints at Sydney (1997-2000), Port Adelaide (2004-2007; 2012;2017) and Melbourne (2019-2021), playing an integral part in the latter's premiership success.
Now, with an opening at the Blues, given Andrew Russell's departure from the club at season's end, Burgess is set to head east back to the AFL heartland, according to a Channel 10 report.
#Exclusive: 10 News First understands the Crows are on the verge of losing one of their key off-field figures interstate. Fitness guru Darren Burgess is set to head back across the border | @Adelaide_FC @AFL @LucasRinaldo_ #AFL pic.twitter.com/otNxpp8bbp
— 10 News First Adelaide (@10NewsFirstAdl) August 29, 2024
Adelaide ruckman Reilly O'Brien spoke of the prospect of losing Burgess, saying it would be devastating.
"He's been massive for the club," O'Brien said.
"If that were to happen, it would be a huge loss, but he's certainly set the group up really well.
"Another guy of great character and awesome to have around. An absolute guru at what he does."
Burgess' link to Carlton comes as the club has arguably faced its most challenging injury crises under Russell.
This year, the Blues lost 131 games to injuries among their best 22 players, second only to Richmond, the league's 2024 bottom-dwellers.
