News External review for Richmond's AFLW program.

[Phar Ace]

RFC the only Melbourne club to drop out of the VFLW in 2021. Citing the COVID pandemic to not participate.

" The club has been focussing resources and energies on delivering a high quality AFLW program 2021 and beyond."

this hyper focussed, elite program made finals two years... and got smashed in all finals games.

2025 couldn't beat the spooners. RFC spent half the season at 18th.

$100k soft cap fine in 2021 was probably a factor. expensive New grandstand will be the reason in 2025/26.

Mr Woke Brendan Gale was in charge here at that time ~ now in charge of Tazzy about to join the VFLW and make it 13 teams.

If that's a personal commentary of Brendan Gale, I'd consider it pretty harsh.

 

[Cdog71]

There’s so many big influencers on success in the Woman’s comp from draftees available, fixture, the start up concessions for clubs at the different entry years and injuries. Injuries have a bigger impact simply due to size of playing list and affordable players on the list due to the tier system.
No doubt we’ve been stuck in the wasteland of mediocrity not quite successful or not quite able to access the higher draft picks over the last few years.
In terms of players recruited I don’t think we’ve made terrible choices in selection in terms of players over looked but two rising star nominees in six seasons (Yassir, Ellie) is pretty ordinary and we’ll probably lose Yassir.
My disappointment is the lack of versatility in the players on our list.
They should have run Yassir thru some centre bounces in her 50 games but didn’t or Lynch they tried Brennan around the ball but gave up on it and we didn’t recruit for versatile players.
This year we’ve been forced to use a backup ruck and that’s thrown Mclelland fwd, they’ve tried Ellie off H/B and rolling fwd, Miller fwd.
Scott as a mid, Ruck.
It looks like reactionary moves or someone has finally had a word to Ferg.
The only player to have been developed in another role in an off season is Bacon this year and it didn’t stick.
The only player to have moved to another position and hold that is Gabby Seymour and I think she was a lot more dynamic in the team and for the team around stoppages than she is as a defender.

I would be throwing a lot of money at Erin Phillips to bring her in.
At the moment we don’t look to have many reasons for young talent to ask to be traded to Richmond.

 

[Bojangles17]

There’s so many big influencers on success in the Woman’s comp from draftees available, fixture, the start up concessions for clubs at the different entry years and injuries. Injuries have a bigger impact simply due to size of playing list and affordable players on the list due to the tier system.
No doubt we’ve been stuck in the wasteland of mediocrity not quite successful or not quite able to access the higher draft picks over the last few years.
In terms of players recruited I don’t think we’ve made terrible choices in selection in terms of players over looked but two rising star nominees in six seasons (Yassir, Ellie) is pretty ordinary and we’ll probably lose Yassir.
My disappointment is the lack of versatility in the players on our list.
They should have run Yassir thru some centre bounces in her 50 games but didn’t or Lynch they tried Brennan around the ball but gave up on it and we didn’t recruit for versatile players.
This year we’ve been forced to use a backup ruck and that’s thrown Mclelland fwd, they’ve tried Ellie off H/B and rolling fwd, Miller fwd.
Scott as a mid, Ruck.
It looks like reactionary moves or someone has finally had a word to Ferg.
The only player to have been developed in another role in an off season is Bacon this year and it didn’t stick.
The only player to have moved to another position and hold that is Gabby Seymour and I think she was a lot more dynamic in the team and for the team around stoppages than she is as a defender.

I would be throwing a lot of money at Erin Phillips to bring her in.
At the moment we don’t look to have many reasons for young talent to ask to be traded to Richmond.

She wouldn’t be interested in club life, building a career in media , pays well and less time consuming

 

[Cdog71]

She wouldn’t be interested in club life, building a career in media , pays well and less time consuming

Maybe, but I’d be putting it to her.
Fact is in terms of talent on the list and who’s available for selection we lost one best 16 player a midfielder in Sheerin who last year kicked 5 goals for the entire season and we look like we have completely dropped our bundle.
We look like easy beats now.

I’d like to see individuals at the club who have a really strong history of success and performance in Aussie Rules.

 

[Phar Ace]

Maybe, but I’d be putting it to her.
Fact is in terms of talent on the list and who’s available for selection we lost one best 16 player a midfielder in Sheerin who last year kicked 5 goals for the entire season and we look like we have completely dropped our bundle.
We look like easy beats now.

I’d like to see individuals at the club who have a really strong history of success and performance in Aussie Rules.

I'd be putting it to her as well - some people really want to coach. Don't wonder if that is for her, find out if it is or not. That said, unless the review uncovers something extraordinary, Ferg coaches us in 2026 - get used to it. Still find the pathway to his tenure extension a little strange, especially in a landscape where official announcements abound.

 

[toenail63]

Maybe, but I’d be putting it to her.
Fact is in terms of talent on the list and who’s available for selection we lost one best 16 player a midfielder in Sheerin who last year kicked 5 goals for the entire season and we look like we have completely dropped our bundle.
We look like easy beats now.

I’d like to see individuals at the club who have a really strong history of success and performance in Aussie Rules.

Think you might find she's committed elsewhere. Of those who could be sounded out, Emma Kearney and Alicia Eva, although Eva is more of a coach target. As much as I could see KB in this role I think we need to look externally and not from within the club.

 

[Phar Ace]

Think you might find she's committed elsewhere. Of those who could be sounded out, Emma Kearney and Alicia Eva, although Eva is more of a coach target. As much as I could see KB in this role I think we need to look externally and not from within the club.

It's rare for an individual to coach old teammates to the pinnacle of success in this era, or even the one before it.

 

[Bojangles17]

Maybe, but I’d be putting it to her.
Fact is in terms of talent on the list and who’s available for selection we lost one best 16 player a midfielder in Sheerin who last year kicked 5 goals for the entire season and we look like we have completely dropped our bundle.
We look like easy beats now.

I’d like to see individuals at the club who have a really strong history of success and performance in Aussie Rules.

Our list is shithouse , start with a clean slate like blues and WB did

 

[toenail63]

Our list is shithouse , start with a clean slate like blues and WB did

Add West Coast, has worked out well for all three clubs.

 

[Eraser]

Cat's out of the bag: Geelong AFLW coach departs after disappointing season

Dan Lowther will not coach Geelong's NAB AFLW side in 2026

www.afl.com.au

Cats have gone bang too, will be a farce if we don't join them.

 

[Yappie dribbles]

Cat's out of the bag: Geelong AFLW coach departs after disappointing season

Dan Lowther will not coach Geelong's NAB AFLW side in 2026

www.afl.com.au

Cats have gone bang too, will be a farce if we don't join them.

We won't be the review has found nothing

 

[TigermanM2]

I'd be putting it to her as well - some people really want to coach. Don't wonder if that is for her, find out if it is or not. That said, unless the review uncovers something extraordinary, Ferg coaches us in 2026 - get used to it. Still find the pathway to his tenure extension a little strange, especially in a landscape where official announcements abound.

I find it extremely odd that (correct me if I am wrong) other than the media going with it and a bit mentioned in an after match presser, not a single word has come out from the club about Fergs extension. Nothing on socials.

Weird. Normally these things are shouted from the roof tops.

I still think Ferg isn’t a cert to coach us in 26. He very well might but the feel about the whole thing is very strange.

I think this review has been in the planning stage much earlier in the season than when it was announced.

 

[Phar Ace]

I find it extremely odd that (correct me if I am wrong) other than the media going with it and a bit mentioned in an after match presser, not a single word has come out from the club about Fergs extension. Nothing on socials.

Weird. Normally these things are shouted from the roof tops.

I still think Ferg isn’t a cert to coach us in 26. He very well might but the feel about the whole thing is very strange.

I think this review has been in the planning stage much earlier in the season than when it was announced.

Same thoughts on Ferg's "faint" extension. It's one of the rarest extensions seen in some time. It looks like it was premature, it wasn't then countenanced at some level, and a holding pattern ensued. And now we have a review.

 

[Yze does it]

We won't be the review has found nothing

Sgt Shulz running it?

 

[Yappie dribbles]

Sgt Shulz running it?

Noone is it's purely a box ticking exercise

 

[Phar Ace]

Noone is it's purely a box ticking exercise

So a review for review sake, with no recommendations

 

[Yze does it]

Noone is it's purely a box ticking exercise

AFLW a box ticking exercise basically.

low football skills low ground attendance, low membership. A budgetary drain from HQ to clubland, despite salaries being peanuts.

why would Dunne even bother bringing Lloyd in to get the AFLW Program with best practice and position itself for sustained success?

why bother talk about "competing for premierships."

Ferguson and Sheehan are contracted anyhow.

 

[Bojangles17]

I watched 4q of pre lim that norf won. Very good game , I’ve gotta say watching us by comparison you wouldnt think we’re in same league
Slow
Unskilled
Bumbling poor passages of play , usually just bludgeon the ball forward
No one in f50 with any craft around goal from a ground ball get

Just dreadful to watch

If the review can’t come up with anything I give up

 

[wegetpumped]

I watched 4q of pre lim that norf won. Very good game , I’ve gotta say watching us by comparison you wouldnt think we’re in same league
Slow
Unskilled
Bumbling poor passages of play , usually just bludgeon the ball forward
No one in f50 with any craft around goal from a ground ball get

Just dreadful to watch

If the review can’t come up with anything I give up

Don't worry, mate, they will come up with something eg, they will review the reviewers.

 

[Phar Ace]

I watched 4q of pre lim that norf won. Very good game , I’ve gotta say watching us by comparison you wouldnt think we’re in same league
Slow
Unskilled
Bumbling poor passages of play , usually just bludgeon the ball forward
No one in f50 with any craft around goal from a ground ball get

Just dreadful to watch

If the review can’t come up with anything I give up

And yet, when we played Adelaide, we looked OK. So, that was probably the very best we can be with the cattle we have right now. I'm not seeing Ferg is up for the improvement, but maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's just about the cattle.

Not sure anyone is up to North's class right now.

 

[Stigmata]

And yet, when we played Adelaide, we looked OK. So, that was probably the very best we can be with the cattle we have right now. I'm not seeing Ferg is up for the improvement, but maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's just about the cattle.

Not sure anyone is up to North's class right now.

I’m hoping Brisbane makes a game of it

 

[Stigmata]

And yet, when we played Adelaide, we looked OK. So, that was probably the very best we can be with the cattle we have right now. I'm not seeing Ferg is up for the improvement, but maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's just about the cattle.

Not sure anyone is up to North's class right now.

Carlton are really on the right path and Sophie McKay is a jet.

We just have to get more kids and develop them into guns. One thing I do know is once you look good good players will come

 

[toenail63]

 

[Phar Ace]

And they said she would not be interested in a job outside the media.............. Or are we just tooooooo so slow (on and off the field it would seem)

 

[TigermanM2]

Think you might find she's committed elsewhere. Of those who could be sounded out, Emma Kearney and Alicia Eva, although Eva is more of a coach target. As much as I could see KB in this role I think we need to look externally and not from within the club.

Kearney would be a very good get to be involved in our program somewhere.

I think one of the rarer traits in women in footy is being uncompromising, ruthless and intimidating while still being able to have the players on side. At 36 Emma would certainly be thinking about the next stage of her life and she comes across as having all of these traits plus she has a good footy brain.