Geelong Cats are pleased to confirm James Rahilly will join the Club as an assistant coach ahead of the 2024 AFL season.  

A Geelong life member, Rahilly played 90 games for the Cats between 1998 – 2005. Following his playing career, Rahilly worked in various coaching roles at Geelong between 2010 – 2021 before departing the Club for the Adelaide Crows ahead of the 2021 AFL season.  

Spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach at the Crows overseeing their forward line, Rahilly was the recipient of the 2023 AFL Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year award.  

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Geelong Cats General Manager of Football Andrew Mackie said the Club is pleased to have Rahilly return to the Cats and form part of Chris Scott’s 2024 coaching staff.  

“We are excited to welcome James and his family back to Geelong Football Club.  

“Spending the last three years at the Crows has seen James continue to develop his coaching skills to become one of the most highly regarded and respected coaches in the competition.  

“It is always important to bring good people with strong values into an organisation and James epitomises that, so we are thrilled James will continue his coaching career back at Geelong and we look forward to him working with Chris, our current coaches and our playing group.”