Logan Austin will take charge of the forward line. Image: Matt Sampson.

Former Port Adelaide AFL player Logan Austin has been elevated to an assistant coach role ahead of the 2026 AFLW season.

Austin's appointment follows the recent departure of Braedon Talbot, who has left the program after accepting a new job opportunity outside of football.

Having joined Port Adelaide as a development coach earlier this year, Austin quickly impressed the club with his football knowledge and ability to connect with players. His elevation will see him take charge of the Power's forward line.

The 30-year-old played 20 AFL games across Port Adelaide and St Kilda after being selected with pick No. 69 in the 2014 AFL National Draft. He made his AFL debut for the Power in 2016 before joining St Kilda at the end of the 2017 season.

Following his AFL career, Austin transitioned into coaching and currently works as Academy Coordinator at West Adelaide, while also running his own strength and conditioning business.

Port Adelaide Head of AFLW Dan Merrett said Austin had made an immediate impression since arriving at Alberton.

"Logan has impressed us from the moment he walked through the doors with his professionalism, football knowledge and ability to build strong relationships with our players," Merrett said.

A former Port Adelaide player, Austin brings a lot of experience with him to the role. Image: Matt Sampson.

"He's experienced the demands of AFL football as a player and has continued to develop his coaching craft over the past several years, making him a fantastic fit to lead our forwards.

"While it's unfortunate to lose someone of Braedon Talbot's calibre, we're excited to provide Logan with this opportunity. He's earned it through the work he's done since arriving at the club and we're confident he'll continue to help drive the development of our playing group."

Austin said he was grateful for the opportunity to take the next step in his coaching journey.

"I'm incredibly grateful to the club for the opportunity they’ve given me," Austin said.

"Working with this playing group over the past few months has been a fantastic experience and I've loved getting to know the players and staff.

"I'm looking forward to building on the foundations already in place, helping our forwards continue to grow and contributing to what we believe can be a really successful season."

Austin joins Glenn Strachan's coaching panel alongside midfield coach Aiden Yelland, backline coach Sam Virgo, development coach Troy Wilkey, and High Performance Manager Dr Grace Greenham.