The Gold Coast SUNS has finalised its coaching panel with former Melbourne and West Coast player Andy Lovell appointed as Development Coach.

Lovell played 121 senior games with Melbourne and 43 senior games with the West Coast Eagles. He moves from St Kilda where he was a Development Coach and Coach of the VFL affiliate team Sandringham Zebras for the past three years.

After retiring as a player he was appointed as an Assistant Coach at the West Coast Eagles FC (1999), before moving into the Player Welfare and Development Manager role between 2000 and 2002. He then became Senior Coach of the East Perth (2003 – 04) and returned to Victoria to take up the position as Assistant Coach at Geelong (2005 - 06).

Gold Coast SUNS Coach Guy McKenna said Lovell brings a wealth of coaching experience to his team having worked with several successful clubs and specialising in the development of young talent.

“He will be a valuable addition to our coaching staff and work closely with our young group as we prepare for our inaugural AFL season,” he said.

Lovell said the opportunity of working with the young talented list at the Gold Coast SUNS was a rare chance to be part of history and he was looking forward to the challenge.

He joins McKenna and the Gold Coast SUNS Assistant Coaches Ken Hinkley, Shaun Hart, Shane O’Bree and Dean Solomon from mid October.