Bali bombings survivor Jason McCartney has been appointed the new AIS-AFL high performance coach.

McCartney, a veteran of 182 games with Collingwood, Adelaide and North Melbourne, replaces Alan McConnell, who has accepted the role as high performance manager of the western Sydney franchise which is scheduled to enter the AFL in 2012.

McCartney, 35, began working for the AFL in 2004 heading up youth leadership seminars.

He has also been the AFL's youth and high performance co-ordinator.

McCartney was hospitalised after being badly burned in the Bali bombings in late 2002, but fought back courageously to play one more senior game with the Kangaroos in 2003 before announcing his retirement.

AFL general manager of development David Matthews said McCartney had forged a strong playing career, but it was his time since he left the game that marked him as a leader of the highest quality.

McCartney will be responsible for the elite AIS-AFL Academy program, which draws its players from the AFL Under 16 and Under 18 Championships, and then prepares them for the drafting process and senior AFL football.

"It is a great privilege to be appointed to this position," McCartney said.

"I am very passionate about developing young men to be better players and better people and having worked in the program for more than three years and I am now really looking forward to the challenge of leading it."

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