News Matthew Clarke to step down after 2025

[Scorpus]

Matthew Clarke will coach out the 2025 season then step down

AFLW: Coaching update

The Crows have provided an update ahead of the 2025 season

www.afc.com.au

 

[cmndstab]

Honestly, it's probably the right time. He's been great in the role, but it was starting to feel like he wasn't sure how to take the next step back into the top position, and his attention has understandably been divided given Ali's breast cancer.

This is a chance to bring in some new ideas, while we still have a damn good playing group in place. You'd think any half-decent AFLW coach would be walking through broken glass to come and coach the Crows.

I assume Clarke is no longer doing any of our ruck coaching, right? Baulderstone is doing it all?

 

[Scorpus]

He's coached for 8 years, won 2 flags and was probably paid **** all to do it. Fair enough to step away

 

[jenny61_99]

I think it's a good thing. We definitely need to breathe some new energy into the program. He's been fabulous, but it's time.

 

[Mutineer]

Trio of non-Victorian clubs lock in scratch matches

A fixture for a series of AFLW scratch matches this pre-season has now been agreed

www.afl.com.au

 

[cmndstab]

Trio of non-Victorian clubs lock in scratch matches

A fixture for a series of AFLW scratch matches this pre-season has now been agreed

www.afl.com.au

Shame for poor GWS, Gold Coast and Port! Maybe they'll organise their own matches, I guess.

 

[cmndstab]

Article on womens.afl going into more detail about Clarke's decision to step away:

https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/12...-matthew-clarke-reveals-why-hes-stepping-away

The short version is that he felt like it was time for the group to get a new voice, and that him being the head coach beyond 2025 was no longer what was best for the group.

Sounds like he intends to stay involved in footy in some capacity.

 

[LiquidCrow]

A lot of coaches stick around for too long and then get unceremoniously booted out, so I have massive respect for Doc choosing to go out on his own terms while the team remains in a great place talent-wise.

 

[Firewalker]

Article on womens.afl going into more detail about Clarke's decision to step away:

https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/12...-matthew-clarke-reveals-why-hes-stepping-away

The short version is that he felt like it was time for the group to get a new voice, and that him being the head coach beyond 2025 was no longer what was best for the group.

Sounds like he intends to stay involved in footy in some capacity.

Wasn’t surprised when the news came out but while I’ve been pretty strong in saying especially at the end of last season a new voice and new ideas were probably essential given the ceiling the team hit with Clarke at the helm over the past 3 seasons but still I don’t know if they are going to find anyone around who can actually match the qualities Clarke does provide that helps win them the amount of matches to consistently make the top 4 that he does.

That’s the biggest problem who’s even around? And who has both the mixture of high qualities and even the time to essentially volunteer so much of it to be an AFLW head coach?

The obvious candidate would be the club looking internally at Courtney Cramey but by Doc saying the group needs a new voice is he essentially saying they shouldn’t pick an assistant coach who’s already there? If they seek player input I can’t see Marinoff not fighting for Cramey to take over the role.

The external candidate I’d have as the standout at the front of the cue would be Daniel Merrett, has a great record & pretty much turned Port’s fortunes around since arriving from Brisbane as an assistant coach.

Other external options would be;

Paul Groves - former Bulldogs AFLW premiership coach & current Essendon assistant

Keegan Brooksby - former SA-lad who’s currently a Hawthorn assistant coach

Tanya Hetherington - currently working at the Swans has also been touted as a future AFLW coach.

So there’s probably not many options especially if they (rightfully) don’t want go down the path of selecting someone who sees it as just a stepping stone to men’s AFL roles in the future nor do I think someone like a Sam Jacobs will leave an SANFL role just yet if he has future higher up coaching aspirations.

 

[Slime Roy]

What's Shaun Rehn up to?
I heard he's moving back home

 

[Mutineer]

Wasn’t surprised when the news came out but while I’ve been pretty strong in saying especially at the end of last season a new voice and new ideas were probably essential given the ceiling the team hit with Clarke at the helm over the past 3 seasons but still I don’t know if they are going to find anyone around who can actually match the qualities Clarke does provide that helps win them the amount of matches to consistently make the top 4 that he does.

That’s the biggest problem who’s even around? And who has both the mixture of high qualities and even the time to essentially volunteer so much of it to be an AFLW head coach?

The obvious candidate would be the club looking internally at Courtney Cramey but by Doc saying the group needs a new voice is he essentially saying they shouldn’t pick an assistant coach who’s already there? If they seek player input I can’t see Marinoff not fighting for Cramey to take over the role.

The external candidate I’d have as the standout at the front of the cue would be Daniel Merrett, has a great record & pretty much turned Port’s fortunes around since arriving from Brisbane as an assistant coach.

Other external options would be;

Paul Groves - former Bulldogs AFLW premiership coach & current Essendon assistant

Keegan Brooksby - former SA-lad who’s currently a Hawthorn assistant coach

Tanya Hetherington - currently working at the Swans has also been touted as a future AFLW coach.

So there’s probably not many options especially if they (rightfully) don’t want go down the path of selecting someone who sees it as just a stepping stone to men’s AFL roles in the future nor do I think someone like a Sam Jacobs will leave an SANFL role just yet if he has future higher up coaching aspirations.

Who's up? The contenders vying for AFLW's most attractive role

Sarah Black runs the rule over the the top candidates for Adelaide's head coaching role

www.afl.com.au

 

[Mutineer]

Brodie Smith worth a look?

 

[cmndstab]

Rajcic is an interesting name. Can't help but think that only makes sense if Randall hangs up the boots after this year, could be awkward otherwise!

 

[Scorpus]

Brodie Smith worth a look?

Current AFL player Brodie Smith with very little coaching experience? To be the head coach of our AFLW side?

 

[cmndstab]

We still don't even know for sure that Smith will be delisted in time to take on the job.

 

[Mutineer]

Current AFL player Brodie Smith with very little coaching experience? To be the head coach of our AFLW side?

He's had coaching gigs with the SANFL U18 program and I'm pretty sure he also had a gig with our ladies team when recovering from injury. Has stated he wants to get into coaching when his playing days are done.

 

[Mutineer]

Rajcic is an interesting name. Can't help but think that only makes sense if Randall hangs up the boots after this year, could be awkward otherwise!

If Randall hangs up the boots she'd be ideal IMO.

 

[Mutineer]

Former Crows AFLW player Sally Riley has experience coaching the GWV Rebels Girl's team in the CTL comp and prior to that an assistant coach in both the boys and girls programs and in the leadership group at both the Crows and the Suns in her playing days? A teacher currently at Ballarat's Clarendon College so has that in common with quite a few AFL Coaches over the years coming from teaching backgrounds.

 

[jimvic]

Any chance the partner of Murray Davis could slot in here?

 

[Firewalker]

Who's up? The contenders vying for AFLW's most attractive role

Sarah Black runs the rule over the the top candidates for Adelaide's head coaching role

www.afl.com.au

Cramey & Merrett still the only two I’d be interested in really out of any those mentioned in the article. Rajcic probably shouldn’t have even garnered a mention given she’s still pretty inexperienced as a coach and wouldn’t even come close in a race with Cramey if they look internally.

Any chance the partner of Murray Davis could slot in here?

Is a football admin person so if she comes down looking for a role it would be in that department. You’d think they might look to split up Phil Harper’s current head of footy/GM role when he finishes up which according to jenny61_99 will be in the near future as well.

 

[jenny61_99]

Cramey & Merrett still the only two I’d be interested in really out of any those mentioned in the article. Rajcic probably shouldn’t have even garnered a mention given she’s still pretty inexperienced as a coach and wouldn’t even come close in a race with Cramey if they look internally.


Is a football admin person so if she comes down looking for a role it would be in that department. You’d think they might look to split up Phil Harper’s current head of footy/GM role when he finishes up which according to jenny61_99 will be in the near future as well.

Yep. This is his last year too. I saw Murray at the ground yesterday. He’d obviously come up early to see his family. Is the wife still living here? Reckon there was a kid in the car too.

 

[jenny61_99]

If Randall hangs up the boots she'd be ideal IMO.

She’s already helping on the men’s coaching panel so perhaps that was the intention?

 

[GreyCrow]

If Randall hangs up the boots she'd be ideal IMO.

I came here to post this

 

[FR0GGY]

I came here to post this

Girls club appointment?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Chelsea Randall, Brodie Smith

33

Brodie Smith

Age

33

Ht

194cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

500.1

5star

D

17.1

4star

K

12.6

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

438.9

5star

D

17.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.6

5star

and Kieran Strachan are the ones who seem to have been doing coaching apprenticeships

Whether any are ready to jump straight in, who knows