O’Loughlin, who has worked with some of the most talented young AFL prospects as Head Coach of the AIS-AFL Academy squad, will step into the Swans Academy’s top job in 2014, taking over from Paul Roos, who accepted the senior coaching role at the Melbourne Football Club.
Speaking to SwansTV about his new position, O’Loughlin said he was looking forward to taking on the exciting new role back home in Sydney.
“The AIS Academy has been an amazing experience,” O’Loughlin said.
“Looking after the best thirty 18-year-olds in the country has been one of the dream jobs I guess because we get to take them overseas and utilise all of the facilities over the world.
“For me to be able to do that has been amazing, but there was a lot of travel involved with the head office down in Melbourne, and with a young family of my own based here in Sydney, and the fact the (Academy)job was available, I got the tap on the shoulder.
“It’s exciting times at the moment and I can’t wait to get stuck into it.”
O’Loughlin will return to the Swans in an official capacity for the first time since he retired as a player in 2009 after 303 games, and said he had always admired the Swans Academy and was impressed with the calibre of players it had produced, including recently listed rookie, Lloyd Perris.
“It’s huge,” O’Loughlin said of the Swans Academy.
“Roosy has obviously had some terrific help here with the Academy with the people he’s had in place and some of the players who have come through.
“The recent one is Lloyd Perris, who I know not only through the Swans Academy but with myself at the AIS, he gets his chance as a rookie at Sydney now.
“He’s probably the one who is fresh in my mind that I know personally on and off the field, so that’s great news and hopefully we find a few more just like him.”
Before O’Loughlin begins his tenure at the helm of the Swans Academy, he will lead the Australian Indigenous team in this month’s International Rules Series in Ireland.
The coach said he was excited to be a part of the historic series and to represent Indigenous Australians on an international scale.
“I can’t wait to get over to Ireland and represent our people and our country and get over there and hopefully have a great couple of tests and come back with the cup,” O’Loughlin said.
“It’s been a huge task to put it together and the players have all committed and we can’t wait to take them over there.
“We’ve got a few Swannies boys who are playing obviously with Lewis Jetta, Tony Armstrong and Buddy will play that first game and Goodesy will join us later in the series.
“It’s exciting times and it’s something I’m looking forward to and I think it’s going to be fantastic for the game itself to reinvigorate that as well.”
O’Loughlin said that he had enlisted the help of former Swans team mate and Irish expat Tadhg Kennelly, who would help get the team up to speed on the round-ball game.
“We’ll get together on Friday and we’ll have a bit of a run around,” he said.
“We’re very wary because obviously it’s the guys kicking around the round ball is going to be a bit difficult but our players are pretty skilful in their own right.
“I think the acquisition of Tadhg Kennelly as one of the assistant coaches is a really important one as he obviously knows the game inside and out.
“He will have a lot of expectations from myself and the rest of the coaching crew, but he’s been there and done that and I’m really looking forward to his input.”
The Australian Indigenous International Rules team will play two tests against Ireland. The first Test will be played at Breffni Park in Cavan on October 19, followed by the Second Test in Dublin at Croke Park on October 26.
