HAMILTON, Paul

Paul Hamilton made his debut in Round 7, 1986.

He was recruited locally from St Bernard's College and had joined the Under 19s in 1984. He was a close checking, typical defender with good pace, although his kicking could be patchy.

Hamilton won Essendon's Best First Year Player award in 1986 and he consolidated his place in the side with some fine games on the half-back line in 1987.

In an interesting piece of trivia, there were two games in 1988 when five ex-St Bernard's boys played together: Hamilton, David Johnston, Simon Madden, Garry Foulds and Gavin Keane. The games were Round 9 v Brisbane Bears, and Round 10 v Sydney, for a win and a loss respectively.

Hamilton played every game in 1990 and was a member of the 1990 night premiership side which defeated North Melbourne and also in the losing Grand Final side against Collingwood.

He won the Most Improved Player award and came fourth in the Club's Best and Fairest award in 1987. He was also awarded the Club's Best Team Man award in 1992.

He was appointed playing-coach at Glenorchy in Tasmania in 1996 and won the premiership in 1999.

He then became coach at Woodville-West Torrens, was assistant coach at the Kangaroos from 2001 to 2004, before filling the same position at Adelaide from 2005 to 2007.

Hamilton returned to Essendon in September 2008 to take up the role of Football Operations Manager and became General Manager Football Operations in 2009, a role he held until 2012. He was General Manager, Central Victorian Football, from 2013 until 2016, after which he began working for the AFL as State Talent Manager.