ST KILDA has moved swiftly to continue its football department overhaul.

Foxfooty.com.au can reveal Brett Ratten will be Alan Richardson’s chief offsider in 2019, while Brendon Lade will also join the club from Port Adelaide.

Meanwhile, highly rated assistant Adam Kingsley is certain to link up with 2004 premiership teammate Damien Hardwick at Richmond, replacing Ben Rutten who foxfooty.com.au reported joined Essendon last week.

Kingsley, who narrowly missed out on the Adelaide senior gig to Don Pyke and Gold Coast job to Stuart Dew, has been at the Saints since 2011. Although the majority of his time at the club has been spent working with midfielders, this year his role was more focused on ball movement and transition.

Finals Week 1

Brett Ratten is on the move. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: Supplied

Unlike Simon McPhee, Rohan Welsh and Lindsay Gilbee, Kingsley has elected to pursue other opportunities on his own terms.

The acquisition of Ratten is significant for a football department that has lacked senior coaching experience.

He met with football boss Simon Lethlean and Richardson on August 15. In 2011 and 2012, Ratten was Carlton’s senior coach and Richardson his most senior deputy. Now the roles will be reversed.

Adam Kingsley (l) is joining Richmond. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: News Corp Australia

It’s expected the appointment of Ratten will be announced later this week, while Kingsley’s departure and Lade’s arrival are set to be confirmed as early as today.

Since time of publishing, the Saints have confirmed Kingsley’s departure.

“Adam has played a key role in St Kilda’s coaching team over the past eight years and believes the time is right to take on a new challenge,” St Kilda’s general manager of football Simon Lethlean said in a statement.

“We acknowledge that a change in environment is important for assistant coaches to continue to develop, and at the same time it provides an opportunity to add new voices into St Kilda’s football program.

“We wish Adam and his family all the best for the future.”

The Saints remain adamant Richardson will continue as senior coach into 2019.

Brendon Lade is joining St Kilda. Picture: Tom Huntley Source: News Corp Australia

“We’re going to support him (Richardson), not look to blame him, and get the best people around him,” Lethlean told 3AW recently.

“My view and the club’s view is that ‘Richo’ is taking us forward and in order for him to take us forward, we have to make him the best coach he can be.

“That requires new voices in the coaching areas to support and guide the program and we need our players to dig in and be more competitive, and improve our list as well.

“That’s our focus … we’re not looking to scapegoat ‘Richo’. We think he’s the right guy.”

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