Norwood has signed dual Woodville-West Torrens premiership mentor Jade Sheedy as senior coach after an extensive search to replace the outgoing Jade Rawlings.
Sheedy will take charge of the Redlegs after Rawlings departed last month to take on an assistant coaching role with Fremantle.
A stalwart of the SANFL competition, Sheedy played 255 games with Sturt between 2000 and 2012, winning a premiership and Magarey Medal in 2002, along with four club best and fairest awards.
He captained the club for six years, represented SA in five state games and was named in The Advertiser Team of the Year on six occasions.
Sheedy started his coaching career with Woodville-West Torrens, guiding the club to back-to-back premierships in 2020 and 2021 in his first two seasons at the helm.
During his tenure, he coached two state games for two victories over Western Australia and was named SANFL Coach of the Year in 2020.
After nearly 25 years of involvement in South Australian football, Sheedy was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The 44-year-old met his new playing group on Friday and will start in his new role effective immediately.
Speaking to the Norwood website, Sheedy acknowledged the enormity of leading one of the SANFL's powerhouse clubs.
“I am looking forward to the challenge to coach the Norwood Football Club, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and support,” Sheedy said.
“It is an honour to coach a club so rich in history, a club that's been around for 146 years and has a great history behind it.”
After taking a year off from coaching following his successful stint at the Eagles, Sheedy said he is keen to reignite his passion for coaching.
“Coaching is certainly a passion for me, and although it's a really big job and a serious job, it's also a great passion of mine.
“It is something I love doing. I love the people in football clubs and getting to know players, helping them get better on the field and driving a strong club through culture; that really excites me.”
Looking ahead to the job in front of him, Sheedy is encouraged by what he has seen and heard of the playing group.
“I am excited by the challenge and excited to work with the players. I have heard good things about them and how driven they are – it aligns with me as a coach,” Sheedy said.
“It was a successful year in 2024, but I'm excited about the demographic of the list. It's a young list, and they seem tight-knit, are good mates, and they work hard – you need these things to be successful.”
Norwood CEO James Fantasia was pleased with the signing and keen to see what he can produce for the club.
“We are delighted that we have been able to attract such a high level of candidates for the role and are pleased to confirm that Jade Sheedy has not only been a standout coach-in-waiting but comes with enormous experience as a player and premiership coach in our state league competition,” Fantasia said.
“Jade's appointment as Senior Coach marks an exciting new chapter for the Norwood Football Club.
“With his proven track record and deep commitment to both excellence and community, we're confident he'll bring strong leadership, inspire our players and elevate the club to new heights.
“Jade understands the legacy and passion of the Norwood Football Club, and we're thrilled to have him lead our team into the future.”
Sheedy will take over a team desperate to atone for their heart-breaking five-point grand final loss to Glenelg.
The Redlegs stormed to the minor premiership in 2024 with a 15-3 record and swept their way to the grand final with a big win over Central District but fell agonisingly short on the big day.
Despite official training not starting until the first week of December, a group of more than 20 senior players have been conducting private training sessions led by captain Jacob Kennerley to get a jump on the pre-season.