On the eve of a huge 2026 campaign, the GIANTS have confirmed their AFL coaching structure for the season ahead, with a settled and experienced group to once again lead the club’s push for premiership success.
Now entering his fourth season at the helm, Adam Kingsley remains the GIANTS’ AFL Head Coach after an outstanding start to his senior coaching tenure.
Appointed following the end of the 2022 season, Kingsley arrived in orange and charcoal with an impressive résumé.
A premiership player and best and fairest winner with Port Adelaide – where he played 170 games – Kingsley transitioned straight into coaching, holding assistant roles at Port Adelaide and St Kilda before playing a key role in Richmond’s 2019 and 2020 premierships.
He wasted little time making his mark as a senior coach, guiding the GIANTS from a 16th-placed finish in 2022 to a preliminary final in his debut season in 2023.Kingsley was recognised for that remarkable turnaround by claiming the 2023 Monjon Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year award, as voted by his AFL coaching peers. Across his first three seasons in charge, he has led the GIANTS to finals campaigns each year, laying a strong platform heading into 2026.
Supporting Kingsley is a cohesive and experienced panel across all lines.
Former Port Adelaide premiership player and Club Champion Brett Montgomery enters his fourth season as a GIANTS assistant coach in 2026.
Having joined the club ahead of the 2023 season, Montgomery has been instrumental in the club’s resurgence and will serve as the club’s Forwards Coach and Team Defence Coach.
With 13 years of AFL assistant coaching experience across Carlton, the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide, along with a decorated 204-game playing career, Montgomery brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the program.
An Adelaide Crows legend and Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ben Hart will serve as the club’s Backline Coach in 2026 after transitioning from his role as Midfield Coach last season.
A four-time best and fairest and two-time premiership player, Hart’s wealth of experience – both as an elite defender across 311 AFL games and through 13 years as an assistant coach – provides invaluable leadership to the GIANTS’ defensive unit as he returns to coaching the back six in 2026.
Highly respected assistant Craig Jennings continues in his role overseeing the midfield and transition elements of the game.
An AFL Level 4 accredited coach with more than two decades of experience across five AFL clubs, Jennings is renowned for his strategic expertise and global approach to professional development, having undertaken study tours and presented internationally on coaching and game strategy.
In 2026, the GIANTS have elevated Wayne Cripps to the role of AFL Midfield/Stoppage Coach.
Originally joining the club ahead of the 2023 season as VFL Head Coach and AFL Development Coach, Cripps spent three seasons leading the GIANTS’ VFL program before earning promotion to the senior coaching panel. Prior to his arrival, he guided the Sandringham Dragons to a Coates Talent League premiership and built a strong reputation for developing elite young talent.
Former GIANTS favourite Shane Mumford continues as the club’s Ruck and Stoppages Coach.
A 216-game AFL veteran, Mumford claimed the 2014 Kevin Sheedy Medal as the GIANTS’ Club Champion and was a key member of the club’s 2019 Grand Final side. His on-field experience and competitive edge remain invaluable assets within the coaching group.
The club’s development program remains in experienced hands.
Jason Davenport continues as Head of Development after joining the GIANTS ahead of the 2023 season. A VFL premiership player and best and fairest winner with Geelong who also played AFL football with Port Adelaide, Davenport has extensive experience across both AFL and elite junior pathways.
Trent Dennis-Lane serves as an AFL Development Coach and VFL Assistant after joining the GIANTS ahead of the 2025 season. Dennis-Lane transitioned into coaching following his AFL playing career and has since held roles across the Coates Talent League, VFL and NGA programs.
Club champion and AFLW leader Alicia Eva continues her role as AFL Development Coach in 2026 while also taking on the exciting opportunity as the club’s new GIANTS Academy Female Head Coach
A former GIANTS captain and All-Australian, Eva has built an impressive coaching résumé across both male and female talent pathways and remains a key figure in the club’s development system.
At VFL level, the GIANTS welcome Robbie Chancellor as the club’s new VFL Coach for 2026.
Chancellor joins following recent success in the AFL Sydney competition, where he was named Coach of the Year, and brings previous AFL experience from roles at Hawthorn, Melbourne and St Kilda, along with senior coaching experience across the Coates Talent League and VFL.
With continuity across the senior program and strategic evolution within key roles, the GIANTS’ 2026 AFL coaching structure reflects a strong blend of experience, innovation and alignment.
As the season approaches, Kingsley and his coaching group will once again look to drive the GIANTS towards historic heights in 2026.
