Collingwood’s gutted recruiting department has suffered another blow after their talent ID manager quit, choosing to leave for West Coast instead of accepting a promotion at the Pies.

It leaves the club poised to enter the season with their football department in a state of flux for a second successive season.

Three sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named in order to speak freely, said the club had offered Adam Shepard a role as replacement for Derek Hine. They then planned to appoint another person to work as the talent ID manager.

But Shepard told the club this week instead that he would take a similar role at West Coast, with the Eagles confirming his appointment to a new role as draft strategy and player movement manager.

Hine, who oversaw the recruitment of players for Collingwood’s last two premiership teams, departed just months ago. Shepard had been hired into recruiting at Collingwood by Hine, who had mentored him and with whom Shepard remained close.

Shepard had been with Collingwood since 2012 and was highly regarded at the club he had followed all his life.

The move leaves Collingwood without a head of recruiting or deputy head. Only Shannon Collins, who moved from football operations manager into the recruiting department a little over a year ago, remains on the full-time recruiting staff.

Collingwood appointed former Brisbane Lions player and senior coach Justin Leppitsch as permanent list manager towards the end of last season. He had been working as an assistant coach prior to last season and had worked as a list manager before he was appointed to act in the position during the absence of Graham Wright last year.

Last season the Magpies went through the year without a permanent general manager of football or list manager after Wright – who combined both roles – quit the club but was then persuaded by then president Jeff Browne and the board to take six months’ leave and return to the club.