Hawthorn have released Danny Frawley from his recently-appointed position to take on a role with AFL rivals St Kilda, the club he captained in 177 games.

Frawley had been due to start with the Hawks on Monday, helping with specialist backline and key positional work.

However he will now take over as St Kilda’s part-time specialist defensive coach – a job that became available after Luke Beveridge was appointed on Friday as senior coach of the Western Bulldogs.

Beveridge had been about to start at St Kilda as director of coaching when the ‘Dogs made their approach.

Frawley, who held the St Kilda captaincy record until being surpassed last year by Nick Riewoldt, will help the Saints’ backline coach and advise the club’s tall defenders and forwards.

In 12 years with the club, the former full-back led the Saints to finals appearances in 1991 and 1992, breaking an 18-year finals drought for the club, and retired in 1995.

In 2007, he was inducted into the St Kilda Hall of Fame.

Frawley was as an assistant coach at Collingwood for four years before being appointed senior coach of Richmond – a position he held for five years.