St Kilda’s women’s football ranks have been bolstered with the additions of Hawthorn’s Paddy Hill and former Saint Farren Ray.

Hill will assume an assistant coaching position in the club’s AFLW stream before taking the reins as VFLW senior coach, while Ray will take on the role of midfield coach of the Saints’ AFLW side.

Hill joins the Saints after a decorated coaching career at Hawthorn, where he worked with both the 2013 VFL premiership team and the inaugural women’s team in 2017, before leading the VFLW Hawks to the ultimate success in 2018.

“I’m really looking forward to this next chapter in my career,” Hill said.

“I loved my time at the Hawks and have really relished the opportunity to work in the women’s space, and I look forward to continuing that at the Saints.”

A much-loved player during his time in red, white and black, Ray returns to the club after a 209-game AFL career.

Since his retirement, Ray has held various positions in the corporate world, while also keeping his hand in football, coaching at Wesley College for the past 18 months.

“I was really keen to get back to the Saints and the women’s team is a perfect fit,” Ray said.

“These women are extremely passionate professionals and I’m looking forward to doing all I can to help them achieve success in this exciting new chapter for the club.”

Hill and Ray join Peta Searle in the St Kilda ALFW coaching line up, with additional appointments to be made in the coming weeks.

“We’re thrilled to have Paddy and Farren joining us,” Head of Emerging Football Programs Jamie Cox said.

“To have two coaches with such valuable experience on board for our inaugural season will be such an asset.”

Hill and Ray will commence their positions with the club in early November.