Ash Tucker joins the Blue Raiders as one of the first assistants in a long time to not have played for the team.

Tucker brings a wealth of knowledge through his previous 10 years in management and financial planning positions and has been actively involved in the top level of Amateur Australian Rules football.

Tucker played junior tennis growing up at Tally-Ho Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia and holds numerous Club Championship Titles in both the junior and senior ranks.

"I am extremely excited to have Ash here; he brings something very new to this team and is a huge asset to me and the program. He has already had an immediate impact on these young men, as someone that they can all look up to," head coach David McNamara said. "He has become very successful in the previous positions he has held and to have him be apart of our program is something that means a lot to me."

Prior to his joining the Blue Raiders, Tucker spent three years as a financial planner for the Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne in 2006. He then took up a similar position for the Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar. Most recently, Tucker was the Manager of Finance & Administration for World Youth Day where 25,000 young people travelled to Melbourne to celebrate their faith.

Combining his professional career with sport, Tucker played nine seasons of Amateur Australian Rules Football for De La Salle. His work ethic and dedication to the team led to numerous leadership roles including the captaincy.

Tucker describes his time at De La Salle as follows: "It is a tough sport that requires courage of both body and mind. Being able to make a significant contribution to building a successful team environment was a challenge but very much a privilege. I was very fortunate to be involved with individuals that were dedicated to becoming the best sportsman they could be - they just didn't know how to stop trying."

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Tucker received his degree in commerce from the University of Melbourne and has completed his chartered accounting post-graduate qualifications.