The Collingwood Football Club congratulates Rodney Eade on his appointment as senior coach of the Gold Coast Suns.

Eade had been a guiding influence at the Westpac Centre for three years, first as football and coaching strategist and most recently as Director of Football.

Collingwood and Gold Coast reached agreement today on commercial terms which allowed for Eade’s release and immediate departure.

Collingwood Chief Executive, Gary Pert, said Eade’s important roles within the Collingwood football department had been fulfilled with distinction. Pert will oversee the football department while a search for Eade’s successor is conducted.

“‘Rocket’ has been a great source of support to our coach, Nathan Buckley, and his experience, industry knowledge, football IQ and personality made him an outstanding person to have at our club,” Pert said.

“Clearly, those same qualities made him someone of obvious appeal to Gold Coast. They have chosen wisely, we will miss him and we wish him well.”

Eade said his time at the Westpac Centre had been among the most fulfilling of his career, which also includes great success as a player with Hawthorn and as a coach with Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.

“Collingwood stands for something unique in our game and it was a privilege to experience from inside the building the vital essence of what that is,” said Eade.

“Only a very specific opportunity was going to lure me away from Collingwood and back into coaching. I took the Director of Football role at Collingwood because I saw it as my next great professional challenge. It is one of the biggest roles in club football.

“Then, almost out of left field, the opportunity with the Suns emerged and, to be honest, there probably wasn’t another that I was prepared to consider.

“So, I say thanks to everyone at Collingwood, particularly Eddie McGuire, Gary Pert and Nathan Buckley, and move on knowing the foundation for an exciting period in the club’s history has been laid.”