GOLD Coast GM Wayne Campbell is departing the Suns after four seasons in the role to join Sydney in a new role, while the Swans have also signed Greater Western Sydney assistant coach Jeremy Laidler.
Campbell is returning to New South Wales to join Sydney as the head of the Swans’ academy.
The 52-year-old has worked in a range of administration roles since he retired at the end of 2005 after playing 297 games for Richmond.
Campbell was the football manager at the Giants between 2016 and 2019, where he worked alongside Leon Cameron, who is now the head of football at Sydney.
The former Tigers captain was the umpires boss at the AFL for four years before moving to New South Wales to join Greater Western Sydney.
Laidler is heading back to Sydney to join Dean Cox’s coaching team as an assistant coach in 2026.
The 36-year-old has spent the past three seasons coaching the forwards at Greater Western Sydney after joining the club shortly after Adam Kingsley at the end of 2022.
Now the Swans have lured him back across town to coach the forwards.
Laidler spent the final four seasons of his 87-game playing career at Sydney, before spending five years in the football department at the Swans during John Longmire’s time at the club.
The former Geelong, Carlton and Sydney defender started in development with the Swans before coaching the VFL team until he crossed to the Giants.
Cox joined Sydney as an assistant coach in the months after Laidler retired and worked with him for five years.
Sydney has been in the market to add to its coaching panel around Cox ahead of his second year as a senior coach.
Dean Cox during the round 24 match between West Coast and Sydney at Optus Stadium, August 23, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
The Swans signed Melbourne premiership coach Simon Goodwin last week, beating the Giants and West Coast to add some experience around Cox.
Club great Jarrad McVeigh has departed after 23 years involvement with the Swans, including most recently as VFL coach.
