The Hampton Rovers Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Brown as senior coach for the 2027 VAFA season, following Paul Carrigan’s decision to step back from the role due to increasing work commitments and other priorities.
Brown steps into the senior role after serving as senior assistant coach in 2026, where he played an important part in the Rovers’ return to finals football and worked closely with the playing group across training, match preparation, development and game day.
Already strongly connected to the club, Brown also ran the Rovers Auskick program during 2026 and has built strong relationships throughout the senior and junior programs. He brings extensive playing, coaching and professional experience to the position.
“Caggs and this year’s coaching group have laid strong foundations,” Brown said.
“Having been part of that group, I know what needs to be done. There is still plenty of work ahead, but the fundamentals are in place, and retaining as much of our coaching staff and playing group as possible gives us a great opportunity to keep building on what was established this year.“
Brown was previously senior coach at Mordialloc across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and before that, spent three seasons as senior assistant and fitness coach at De La Salle.
He coached De La Salle’s Under 19s to a premiership in 2012, having taken the side to the Grand Final the previous year, and was named VAFA Junior Coach of the Year. He has also coached school football every year since 2010.
His playing career included 34 games with De La Salle in A and B Grade, where he also captained an Under 19 premiership team. He also played for the Sandringham Dragons, was part of the club’s leadership group, and made the Vic Metro squads at Under 15 and Under 16 level.
“I had been out of football for six years and didn’t realise how much I missed it,” Brown said.
“Hampton is our local club and, through Auskick and then the senior program this year, I saw the quality of the club and the good people involved at every level. That is what made me want to coach here.
“We have a talented young group coming through, supported by experienced clubmen and quality footballers. I know the talent is there and that is what makes the opportunity so exciting. I’m thrilled to be appointed and cannot wait to get stuck into the hard work.”
Brown takes over from Paul Carrigan, who has made the decision to step aside as senior coach following a successful season.
Carrigan took on the role ahead of the 2026 season and played an important part in restoring stability, confidence and connection across the football program. Under his leadership, the senior team returned to finals with a young playing group and established a strong platform for the future.
Throughout the season, Carrigan placed a strong emphasis on relationships, player development, recruitment and strengthening the connection between the club’s junior and senior programs.
“After careful consideration, I have made the decision to step back from my role due to increasing work commitments and other priorities that require my focus at this stage of life,” Carrigan said.
“While this was not an easy decision, I am confident the football program is in a strong position moving forward.
“My vision has always been to identify and invest in quality people, mentor the next generation of coaches and strengthen the connection between our senior and junior programs.
“We challenged our younger players to embrace the club’s vision, invested heavily in their development and provided them with opportunities to grow both on and off the field. It was immensely pleasing to see them embrace those opportunities and be rewarded through their commitment, improvement and performances.”
Carrigan also strongly endorsed Brown as his successor, having initially approached him to join the Rovers coaching group in October 2025.
“From our first meetings, it was evident that Browny possessed the qualities required to drive the program forward,” Carrigan said.
“His energetic approach, strong technical understanding and genuine ability to connect with people make him the ideal leader for our young and talented squad.
“The future of Hampton Rovers is extremely bright. With strong foundations in place, a committed playing group and an outstanding coaching team, I am incredibly optimistic about what lies ahead.”
Hampton Rovers President-elect Cameron Voss thanked Carrigan for his contribution and welcomed Brown’s appointment.
“Caggs came into the role following an extremely difficult season on the field and immediately brought stability, belief and strong relationships to the football program,” Voss said.
“He did an outstanding job reconnecting players, strengthening the culture and guiding our young group back into finals. We are incredibly grateful for the energy, passion and commitment he brought to the senior coaching role, and we look forward to his ongoing involvement, as the Rovers is a better club for having Paul Carrigan involved.
“We are equally excited to have Browny take charge in 2027. He made an enormous contribution this year, has strong relationships across the club and presented a clear and detailed vision for how we can continue developing our players and coaching program.
“We believe he is the right person to build on the strong progress made in 2026 and lead the group into its next phase.”
The club looks forward to Paul remaining involved with the Rovers in 2027 and beyond, with details of his future role to be confirmed in due course.
The remainder of the senior coaching structure for 2027 will also be confirmed shortly, while the club is pleased to confirm the reappointment of Nick Jewell as Reserves coach, Wilbur Van Derham as Thirds coach and Nick Jackson as Under 19 coach.
