Adelaide Development Coach Jack Hombsch is no stranger to having a full office when he walks into the Club every morning.
Hombsch, who retired from the AFL in 2021 after a 116-game career with GWS, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast, took up a role within the Crows’ men’s coaching cohort during the past off-season.
And, since then, Hombsch has had players line up outside his office door waiting to have their drills broken down, edits of training explained, as well as for an informal chat about anything from game style to ways to improve.
“The most pleasing thing is that you come in here and first thing in the morning, there’s guys sitting in the office waiting to watch vision of training from the day before or their game on the weekend,” Hombsch said.
“They are always willing to come in on their day off and the extra stuff they do, the skillwork they do and the respect they show - they’re very coachable, they listen.
“You can also see how quick the boys try to implement what you are trying to do on the track and that’s another pleasing thing from a coaching perspective.”
Hombsch, who was the Crows’ AFLW Head of Development in 2022 before joining the men’s coaching ranks, joins this week’s episode of The Crows Show.
Speaking on the show, the 30-year-old says he is enjoying working within the coaching group.
“My main role really is how can I best develop our young defenders and the other players in the team, the key position players as well,” Hombsch said.
“(I work) closely with Scotty Burns, whos’ the backs assistant coach, and Dan Jackson who’s head of leadership and Marco Bello, head of the development as well.
“They are young and they are hungry to learn.
“It’s been fantastic working with them and they’ve got really good, athletic profiles as well.
Hombsch said he did not miss playing footy at the top level and had prepared for life outside of the game during his final year at the Suns.
“The thing I miss the most is being a part of that team, the change room banter and being a part of a collective group of 44 blokes,” Hombsch said.
“I miss the training, to be honest, the fact that you know you’re going to work hard together and it’s only you guys who have gone through that.
“I finished playing in 2021 up at the Sun and sort of in that last year (at the Suns) I was injured quite a bit and it was pretty clear that I was going to finish up.
“I tried to get ahead a little bit and did a little bit of development stuff with some of the younger boys, the younger defenders we had up there.
“When the time came to move back to Adelaide, an opportunity arose to join the (Crows) women’s program, which was fantastic.”
Also on The Crows Show this week, Luke Pedlar chats about his form so far this season, while we also find out what Lachlan Sholl does outside of footy.
The Crows Show airs on Channel 7 on Sunday at 2pm.
