Bombshell double signature sees ex-AFL teammates unite for Hepburn top job

A pair of former AFL teammates have combined to become Hepburn's next set of senior co-coaches in one of country footy's more explosive dual recruitments for some years.

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Nick Hind and Devon Smith are set to take the reins together in a joint capacity, a remarkable combination coup for the Burras after a two-win season saw them finish 16th in the Central Highlands Football League this season.

The two are far from strangers to one another after both spending time on Essendon's AFL list among respective careers spent across multiple clubs in the top flight, with Clunes original Hind now departing BFNL powerhouses Darley to take up Hepburn duties.

Nick Hind is making the move back into CHFL territory, heading north to Hepburn as a co-coach alongside Devon Smith. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Meanwhile, Smith is set for his first ever taste of football in the region after spending the last three years playing back home in the Geelong district as the pair of friends venture north.

Want to take a guess how the Burras are feeling after confirming the news?

"It's a pretty good day, there's no doubt about it," club president Shane Pedretti said Thursday.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind, where it was a conversation one day with Nick just to say g'day at first. I floated the idea, but he didn't say too much.

"He got in contact after he finished playing footy. He and Devon put a proposal together, and it's all come good.

"We've already got a lot contacting us. We were still working through some stuff, but we've had fathers ringing up saying their sons might come.

"Nick and Devon have hit the ground running, and we've pretty much re-signed everyone from last year."

The pair step in to replace Josh Rafferty in that top job, who stepped down after one season but has affirmed he will return to the club as a player.

"Josh is amazing, and he's still 100 per cent committed," Pedretti said.

"It's more than we could ever wish for. Our inkling was we needed someone to be able to show the next level, because the CHFL has come on in leaps and bounds.

"You're not going to get any better teachers than them to guide these young blokes. Our next move had to be fairly big to get that winning aspect."

To preemptively answer the question no doubt entering minds around the league, yes, they are expected to play as well.

Pedretti gleefully assured to The Courier that Hind and Smith are set to don the jumpers, bringing the experience of nearly 300 combined AFL games to the table physically as well.

He could not speak highly enough of his early dealings with the duo, with a world of confidence now instilled in hopes of a rapid climb back up the table.

"They're just really good guys," Pedretti said.

"People get a certain thought about top-end footballers, but they're down to earth and very professional.

"It meshes beautifully, and it was seamless once we got going. Their professionalism is top level, and that's why they've been elite athletes.

"This is the first step in, hopefully, a very big journey we're now on.

"The culture was always unreal, but we hope we can really start to get both the culture and the winning aspect on the ground to where we want it to be."

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