Peter Schwab


Peter Schwab is a former Umpiring Director for the AFL and former List Manager at AFL football club, Brisbane Lions. He is a former Australian rules footballer and coach in the VFL/AFL and has held many roles in VFL/AFL football.

Playing career

Recruited from Bennettswood Football Club, Schwab played with Hawthorn from 1980–1991. He played 171 games and scored 38 goals. Schwab was used mainly as a utility.

1989 Grand Final suspension

After being part of the 1983, 1986 and 1988 flags with Hawthorn, Schwab missed Hawthorn's 1989 VFL Grand Final victory after he was suspended for striking Essendon's Andrew Manning.

Coaching career

In 1992 Schwab became assistant coach at the Richmond Football Club, before returning to Hawthorn as assistant coach to Ken Judge in 1996 and 1997. He then managed the AFL Umpiring Department for two years, before becoming Hawthorn's senior coach for five seasons from 2000. He took Hawthorn into the finals in his first year. They eliminated Geelong in the first elimination final, but the following week they were eliminated by Kangaroos in the semi final. He took the Hawks to the finals again in 2001, where they eliminated Sydney in the elimination final and they eliminated Port Adelaide in the semi final. They eventually lost to Essendon in a thriller at the MCG in the Preliminary Finals. In 2002 and 2003, Hawthorn just missed out of the finals, finishing 10th and 9th.
In 2004 Schwab announced during the pre-season that the Hawks would win the premiership; however by round sixteen the Hawks were second last and there was pressure on Schwab to resign. Schwab announced he would step down at the end of the season but after one more game he resigned immediately citing it was too hard to continue. Donald McDonald became caretaker coach for the remainder of the 2004 season.
He also coached Australian rules football at prominent Melbourne School Wesley College, Melbourne for a number of years from 2006. He currently works for De La Salle College, Malvern as of 2018.

Other football roles

In November 2013, Schwab took up the role of Senior Director of Coaching and Development at Brisbane. In this role Schwab oversees the management of the coaching staff and provide support to Senior Coach, Justin Leppitsch.

Awards

Schwab went to Burwood High School and completed a Bachelor of Education, Physical education at university.
Schwab was a PE teacher at St Michael's Grammar School