The Collingwood Football Club confirmed the appointment of Neil Balme as its new Director of Football.



One of the most distinguished and well regarded administrators in the AFL, Balme returns to the Westpac Centre after eight seasons with Geelong where he was a central figure in the most successful period in the club’s history.



Balme’s rich experience includes success as a player, coach and administrator over four decades. He has shared in seven premierships at VFL/AFL and SANFL level in all three capacities, most recently with the Cats who won three flags under his stewardship as General Manager of Football.



Balme joined the Cats from Collingwood, where he also spent eight seasons as GM of Football between 1999 and 2006. In that time the Magpies played grand finals in 2002 and 2003.



“There is no-one more qualified, capable and suitable for this role than Neil Balme,” Collingwood chief executive, Gary Pert, said.



“Neil is an outstanding football person. There isn’t anyone in the industry who would challenge his achievements or his reputation and the manner in which he has earned both. He has strong relationships throughout our club and is also aware, with his past here, of what the role of Director of Football at Collingwood entails.



“We’re thrilled to have him join us and very excited about the impact he can have on our football program.”



Balme said that despite his strong attachment to Geelong the opportunity to return to Collingwood represented both an irresistible professional challenge and an unexpected chance to work with senior coach Nathan Buckley.



“I’ve known ‘Bucks’ for a long time and he is someone I have the highest personal and professional regard for,” Balme said.



“We share a lot of common ground in terms of our thinking on the game and to take on the challenge of building something substantial and, hopefully, pretty successful with him is of real appeal. I had a wonderful time with Geelong but the time to move on had arrived.”



Balme succeeds Rodney Eade, who was recently appointed senior coach of the Gold Coast Suns, and will take up his new position at Collingwood in early December.