Malthouse will work in a six-member club panel to set criteria, scout and recruit the next coach to lead the Roosters’ Victorian Football League campaign.

The Roosters have been actively seeking opinion from player leaders, assistant coaches, club stakeholders and the AFL Coaches Association chief Mark Brayshaw for what qualities they need in a coach to lead the club into a new standalone era in the VFL.

Malthouse, addressing Ballarat media on Wednesday night, said ever since he joined North Ballarat as a young player from Wendouree West, this was a club club with a culture of success. He remains a proud Northie and, while based in Melbourne, a proud advocate for his hometown.

“Looking from the outside in, we see a football club up here that has been steeped in success for so many years and I know the criteria here is not only to be competitive, but to win and to also develop – develop the organisation, develop the club which also helps to develop this fantastic town,” Malthouse said.

The Roosters have begun informal talks with Malthouse on what kind of coach could be the right fit. Malthouse said the search was no easy job – they were hunting someone to build on the Roosters’ past, including a hat-trick premiership (2008-10) under ousted coach Gerard FitzGerald, who will coach out the VFL season.

North Ballarat chief executive officer Mark Patterson said the club was open to any coach with the right qualities. Patterson said AFL clubs were increasingly looking for experienced head coaches and the AFLCA promoted the VFL as a great development pathway. He said Malthouse’s experience and insight would be invaluable.

Malthouse, a North Ballarat hall of famer, said he wanted to help because North Ballarat did not owe him anything, but he owed a lot to North Ballarat. A player with St Kilda and Richmond, Malthouse set the AFL/VFL all-time coaching record with 718 games over 31 seasons, starting with Western Bulldogs, moving to West Coast, Collingwood and Carlton from which he was sacked in late May. He is a triple premiership coach. He has managed lists with state league partners and said the Roosters’ standalone list would be easier for a coach. 

“The list management part of the list will be a lot more centralised ...It should be easier to identify the types of players you need – it doesn’t mean you’re going to get those kinds of players –  but at least you know what you need and can develop accordingly,” Malthouse said. “It’s always better to coach a side that you have full control of.”

Roosters’ premiership captain Shaune Moloney will chair the search panel, working with Malthouse, Patterson, football director Alan Plummer, board member Pete Carey and external human resource expert Jennifer Kelly.