Former AFL coach McKenna joins Vics

Former Gold Coast AFL coach Guy McKenna has made a left-field career change, taking up a recruitment role with Cricket Victoria.

McKenna has left his job as an assistant coach at Essendon to join Victoria, where he will serve as coaching and talent identification specialist.

A dual premiership player with West Coast, the 48-year-old spent four years as head coach of the Suns before being sacked at the end of 2014.

McKenna will join a new department led by former Bushrangers opener Dean Russ designed to help the development of emerging cricketers.

"I've spent more than 30 years in AFL at all levels and I'm ready for the change and new challenge this role provides," McKenna said on Tuesday.

"Hopefully I can bring some of my experience as both a senior coach and a player into cricket and use that knowledge to help identify, manage and deliver the next generation of Victorian and hopefully Australian cricketers.

"I'll have plenty of good people around me in the department who know cricket inside out."

McKenna joins former Australia Women's head coach and Australia legend Cathryn Fitzpatrick are among six new coaching and talent specialists working across Victoria, including Cricket Ireland’s National Academy Manager Craig Hogan and ICC Americas USA Manager Tom Evans, together with current Cricket Victoria staff Paul Montgomery and Stephen Field.