Fremantle assistant coach Peter German has resigned from the Dockers saying he wishes to return to Victoria after two seasons at the club.
"We've been in WA for nine years now and it's probably the right time to be going back home to Melbourne," said German on Monday.
"At this stage I'm unsure of what the future holds but I intend to continue with my career in the football industry."
"I've very much enjoyed my time here at Fremantle and I'm proud of the contribution I've made as midfield coach, particularly given the marked improvement in that aspect of our game in the latter part of the season," he said.
Senior coach Mark Harvey praised German's contribution to the club.
"Peter loves the game and has a tremendous work ethic," Harvey said.
"Those qualities alone have had a very positive influence on the playing group during his time at the club."
German, though, becomes the second member of the club's football department to leave Fremantle after Football Operations Manager Robert Shaw announced he would also be returning to Melbourne last week.
Dockers' chief executive Steve Rosich admitted that filling two assistant coaching roles, after assistant coach Chris Bond moved into Shaw's role last week would be a difficult task.
"The timing of Peter’s decision will allow us to fill both positions in a timely fashion," Rosich said.
"I've asked Mark Harvey and Chris Bond to advise me of their preferred coaching structure and the capabilities that they're looking for to fill those roles."
Across town, though, West Coast chief executive Trevor Nesbitt said there was no truth to speculation that long-term Eagles assistant coach Peter Sumich would be joining Fremantle for next season to replace either Shaw or German.
"My conversation with Peter last week was that he was staying at West Coast, so I haven't heard anything different to that," Nesbitt said on Monday.
If Sumich was to leave West Coast, it would be a massive blow for that club as it appears increasingly likely that assistant coach Michael Voss may take up the senior coaching role at Brisbane following Leigh Matthews shock resignation from that post.