Western Bulldogs legend Chris Grant has parted ways with the club, a year after starting a new role that reduced his interaction with coach Luke Beveridge.
Grant’s departure as the Bulldogs’ executive director of football ends a 31-year association with the Dogs as a player, board member and administrator.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and club great Chris Grant.Credit: AFL Photos
It comes 12 months after a review led to the restructure of the Dogs’ football department and the promotion of Matt Egan into the job of general manager of football operations, resulting in Grant having a reduced day-to-day connection to the men’s program.
Egan’s appointment meant Beveridge no longer reported directly to Grant. Bulldogs chief Ameet Bains in February strongly denied reports of a rift between Beveridge and Grant, but there was tension between the pair.
Rohan Smith in his time as an assistant coach.Credit: AFL Photos
As reported by this masthead in August 2023, Grant, with the backing of Bains, overruled the coach by parting with long-time assistant and popular former player Rohan Smith at the end of that season.
It was unclear on Friday night if the Dogs would fill Grant’s role.
The Dogs will enter the 2025 season as one of the most intriguing clubs in the league. Beveridge is coming out of contract in his 11th season, having not won a final since 2021 despite having a list widely regarded as being strong.
The Dogs have never finished the home-and-away season in the top four during Beveridge’s tenure, including their drought-busting flag year in 2016 when they went all the way from seventh.
Grant was a champion player with the club, known as Footscray when he started in 1990, through the ’90s and 2000s before joining the board in 2011, and become the football boss in 2016 to oversee the men’s and women’s teams. Both sides won flags, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
Grant said in a club statement on Friday that now was the right time to leave and spend more time with his family.
“I’ve spent over half of my life with the club as a player and administrator and will cherish the many memories we have created together at the Western Bulldogs,” Grant said.
“While the decision to pause and map out the next stage of my professional career has not been an easy one, I leave knowing the club is in a great position to succeed and write the next chapter in the amazing history of the red, white and blue.”
Premiership players Jack Macrae and Caleb Daniel both left for other clubs over the off-season, as did young star Bailey Smith.
The Bulldogs were contacted for comment.
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