Jason Kerr will coach Billabong Crows next season.
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The dual North Albury premiership player has strong family ties to the club, having played all his junior football at Oaklands.
He takes over from outgoing coach Al Austin, who has led the club the past three seasons.
Kerr started his career at Oaklands and won the thirds best and fairest in 1982, before making his senior debut the following year.
He joined North Albury in 1985 and played in the Hoppers' grand final loss to Lavington in 1986, before spending time on Sydney's list, managing 44 games in the VFL reserves competition in 1987 and 1988.
Kerr went back to North Albury in 1989 and won his first best and fairest, before a stint with West Adelaide in the SANFL.
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He went back to the Hoppers as an assistant coach between 1997 and 2001 and featured in their two premierships in 1999 and 2002, playing 229 games.
Kerr has most recently looked after the thirds at Cobram, winning one premiership from three grand final appearances, but is thrilled to be back where it all began.
"Mum and dad still live out there and my brother (Jarrod) and there's plenty of history there," Kerr said.
"They had been asking me for a bit and my brother actually turned 50 the other day, so I went out for a party and had a chat with them.
"I had a chat with Al Austin who has done a fantastic job getting them to where they are now and it seemed the right thing to do."
Kerr's youngest brother, Ben, previously coached the Crows and he hopes he can now help take them to ultimate success.
"They've got a really good system in place and it will be good to go back and help them out," he added.
"I think they're right in the window of being a successful club and hopefully I can bring a little bit to that."
President Kevin Martin said it's good to have Kerr on board.
"We were a little disappointed Al (Austin) didn't go around again, but he's been there two-and-a-half years and needed a break from it," Martin said.
"Jason has got big shoes to fill, but we think he'll do it adequately. I think we're going to retain most of our list, so we're off to a good start."