The appointment of Adam Read as Peel Thunder’s new Senior Coach has been a long time in the making, with over a decade of hard work and dedication that has led him to the role.

The selection marks Read’s first senior coaching position after eight years as a Development Coach with Fremantle.

Previously, he spent two years as a recruiter after joining the Club in 2007, and worked as an analyst from 2009 to 2011 before joining Fremantle’s coaching department in 2012.

A ‘fulfilled’ Read said he was eager to get started on the opportunity to lead a youthful Peel outfit.

“It’s been a long journey for me and a long apprenticeship, so it’s really fulfilling to get to this point,” Read said.

“I’m really pumped, and it’s something I have been looking towards for a long time, so I’m just really grateful to the Club for the opportunity.”

Read praised the legacy set by outgoing Peel Thunder Senior Coach Geoff Valentine who will assume the role of Fremantle Head of Football Operations and Development.

Valentine has played a significant role with Peel over the past two years, taking the League side to the 2023 WAFL Grand Final.

“Geoff has been fantastic, he is a great sounding board and connector of people, and you can see that in the great work he has done between the two programs,” Read said.

“Between Peel and Fremantle he has brought them together and created a united group.

“He has set a great standard to follow.”

Read highlighted the community aspect and the people involved as the key reasons for his appreciation of the Peel Thunder community.

“It’s the people, I think the community as a whole is fantastic,” Read said.

“I have been involved in some way or another with the alignment (between Peel and Freo) since it begun.

“It’s in a really healthy spot at the moment and I think it just comes back to people on both sides at Peel and Fremantle.”

Excited by the current crop of Thunder players, Read highlighted the exciting youth at his disposal that this year took Peel to their third Grand Final appearance in the Club’s history.

Peel Thunder will commence their pre-season on 21 November.

“Most of the Peel cohort are young, there are a great core group of players there that are going to be our next batch of 100-game players,” Read said.

“I think that should be exciting for everyone.”