The West Coast Eagles’ restructure of their Football Department has continued, with highly credentialed strength and conditioning coach Paul Turk joining the club from Collingwood.
Turk (pictured above left), who has previously been employed by the WA Institute of Sport, heads back west with more than 17 seasons’ experience in the AFL system behind him.
He will join newly appointed High Performance Manager Mathew Inness’ team, after the former state cricketer last month crossed to the Eagles following a successful stint at the Western Bulldogs.
Turk was Athletic Performance Coach at Collingwood for the past two seasons, as well as the Magpies’ AFLW Head of Performance.
He has also held senior strength and conditioning roles at Essendon and North Melbourne between 2004-19, prior to taking on a position as WAIS’ physical preparation specialist.
“Experiencing the ultimate success at Collingwood this year was a huge thrill and it was a tough decision to leave, but the opportunity to be part of West Coast’s program is really exciting,” Turk said.
“There is a group of young players coming through at the Eagles who I’m looking forward to helping achieve their performance peaks, while also building resilience across the entire playing group.
“I loved my time in Perth previously and can’t wait to head back west for a new challenge.
“I’m also extremely grateful to Collingwood for the opportunity to work in a dual role across the AFL and AFLW programs for the past two seasons.”
West Coast Eagles General Manager Football Gavin Bell welcomed Turk to the club ahead of pre-season training resuming in coming weeks.
“We are delighted Paul accepted our offer to come on board and his expertise adds another layer to the club’s refreshed high performance area,” Bell said.
“Paul’s experience across the AFL industry, but also working with elite athletes in other fields, is extensive and we are looking forward to the impact he can have on our developing playing group.”
Turk will arrive in Perth after the completion of Collingwood's AFLW season.
