AFLW Lauren Arnell - Our inaugural AFLW coach

[Marmozet]

 

[Marmozet]

Arnell optimistic for inaugural season

Three months into her role as AFLW head coach, Lauren Arnell says it's all systems go in the preparation for round one.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

PORT ADELAIDE head coach Lauren Arnell has become well and truly immersed into the culture of her new club since her official commencement in early May.

Just shy of three months in the role, Arnell has attacked the hearty task of selecting six assistant and player development coaches and recruiting 30 exceptional players.

Speaking with Kymbo and The Rooch on SEN SA on Tuesday, Arnell discussed how her squad is shaping up.

“For us, we’ve got a couple of practice games coming up through August before round one which will give us a more accurate measure (of where we’re at),” she said.

“We’ve got Hannah Dunn who is the previous captain of the Gold Coast SUNS and Gemma Houghton out of Freo – those girls who have played a lot of AFLW and have been in different AFLW environments, you’re sort of almost trying to compare yourself to the list they have come from and ask them what their feel is.

“It gives you a level of optimism, but I mean, if you’re not going well in pre-season, you’re doing a fair bit wrong aren’t you! You’d like to think everyone is going well at this point in the year.”

The former Brisbane Lions Premiership player reflected on the last few weeks and the preparation behind building a program from the ground-up.

“It certainly has flown…it’s been three months (since I was appointed),” she said.

“I feel like we’ve probably fit a year into three months here at Port Adelaide. It’s been an incredible time and things are building and we’re really not too far off round one.”

The opportunity to add a women’s team to the historic club is not lost on Arnell who, upon her appointment, became the first former AFLW player to transition to senior coach.

“It certainly does feel like a football team now. The football club has over 150 years of tradition and we’re adding an AFLW team into that so there’s a fair bit that goes on behind the scenes.

“The beauty of working at Alberton every day is that I’m fully immersed in it all and you’re meeting all the people that work at the club but somewhat more importantly, you’re meeting the members and supporters that are just ingrained…they’re just Port Adelaide people.

“My personality certainly fits really nicely with how authentic, hardworking and genuine the people are here at Port Adelaide and I love it.”

Arnell also gave some context around the first match for the Power women being an away game in Perth.

“If you pop down (to Alberton), you’ll find out there’s huge amounts of amazing work happening in our grandstand to bring the benches up to, what they refer to as, AFL standard,” she said.

“You’ve got to have certain things in place to allow for broadcast, both radio and TV, and the coaching boxes need a slight upgrade as well, so that’s really the main reason round one is away.”

While discussing the recent reveal of her players’ guernsey numbers, Arnell was asked the one question on everyone’s lips: who will wear the famous number 1?

“I would love to give you that world exclusive,” she said.

“But unfortunately, I haven’t got that news just yet. That’s obviously still to come.”

 

[Marmozet]

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.womens.afl

 

[Grave Danger]

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.womens.afl

This is great stuff - Lauren is such a good communicator.

 

[Marmozet]

Trailblazing coach not overawed by external pressure

Inaugural Port coach Lauren Arnell doesn't feel any added pressure from being in the trailblazing role she is in.

central.rookieme.com

INAUGURAL Port Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell has certainly felt well supported in her role at the Power. Though she takes on the mantle of trailblazer, she is not feeling any added pressure associated with the fact that she is the first person who has gone from playing in the AFLW, to coaching.

“I’m really enjoying it, and I think the question around pressure, that is just external perception to be quite honest,” Arnell said. “I feel really highly supported around my role and the day to day elements of what I’m focused on. External pressure’s not one of those.”

“I was doing the same sort of thing for the Lions Academy and was driving that program in Brisbane for 18 months to two years I was teaching and part of that I was still playing, so I guess in that role I had a real feel for what was required to lead a program.

“Then obviously now coming in at AFLW level there are some small differences and some big differences in that, and quite a few more staff and less players in an Academy system, but a lot of staff and a lot of support around that.”

She had very positive things to say about how the Power’s first preseason has gone.

“Preseason’s great. I think every club you’ll hope would say that preseason is going well because you haven’t had any wins or losses and you’re really just competing against yourselves and trying to improve everyday,” she said. “So for us that’s what we’re seeing and it’s really exciting that we’re towards the back end of preseason now.”

Although much of the talk surrounding the short turnaround between AFLW seasons has been on the new sides, Arnell noted that should not be the limit of the conversation.

“There’s no doubt each expansion team has been impacted by the short turnaround, and I think every existing team has to be quite honest,” she said. “There’s a lot of conversation around how quickly the turnaround is between these two seasons and a lot of that is centred on expansion teams and the rush.

“For us there was quite a lot in place, which externally might not be appreciated, for us to be ready, but I also think what hasn’t been spoken about for existing clubs is there are players who were expecting to be travelling overseas at this time of year, and they’ve had to turn around from lot a clubs playing finals right through March and April, and then having a very short offseason.

“These players have been playing through Covid protocols for the last few years, and there’s a lot of athletes who needed time and still probably feel they need time away and they haven’t had that. And so while it’s been a rush for us, it’s been a rush for everyone and we may seem some impacts of that on existing teams.”

When the Power were building their inaugural list, much of the talk surrounding it was about how they were going to pillage players from crosstown rival, Adelaide. Although they tried to entice more than the three Crows they managed to win over, Arnell says that there is a reason no more made the move.

“I think what people underestimate about the Crows is they’ve been the most successful team in the AFLW’s short history,” she said. “When you’ve had success like the Crows have been able to have with complete access to the most talented footballers in South Australia, you actually build a culture of people wanting to be in a successful environment.

“The list strategy and the list we’ve been able to build, we’re absolutely stoked with, and we’re so excited with the players we have at Port Adelaide, but any assumptions around us being only targeting three players at the Crows would be inaccurate. There’s no doubt we put time in with other players, that didn’t come through and I think the position that we’re in now is a really strong, whichever way that sort of fell.”

The Power may be the only new side not playing in their home state in Round 1, but Arnell is not fussed by that. She noted that Alberton Oval is undergoing significant redevelopment at the moment so to play there in round 1 was not feasible anyway.

Arnell is looking for her side to be competitive from day one, and after what fans saw from her troops on the weekend, it will be hard for her to not tick that goal off.

 

[Marmozet]

If you’re able to do so then please help our Loz out

PEAR in Lumary City-Bay Fun Run 2022

Hi there I am trying to fundraise $500 to help JDRF. Please help me by making a donation through my page. It only takes a minute and any money you can give (no matter how large or small) will go a long way to helping me reach my target. Thank you, I really appreciate your support... Lauren.

citybay22.grassrootz.com

 

[Tibbs]

She is super classy, and looks to be doing a fantastic job with the ladies. She gives a great interview, and I love her cute smile too! Really impressive.

 

[Marmozet]

https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/n...gJmo8wozKJz5aMQVd_Quef0wp90AySZz64XG4w2ntPKbc

Arnell to work in men’s program during AFLW off-season

Port Adelaide AFLW senior coach Lauren Arnell is joining the men's coaching group to work with the AFL side throughout the week, in addition to taking on a gameday role in the SANFL program.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Maybe she is being brought in to the mens group to sack Hinkley?

 

[raptalia]

Arnell to work in men’s program during AFLW off-season

Arnell to work in men’s program during AFLW off-season

Port Adelaide AFLW senior coach Lauren Arnell is joining the men's coaching group to work with the AFL side throughout the week, in addition to taking on a gameday role in the SANFL program.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

I do not think that is a bad move as there is clearly a huge gap between the men's game and the women's game. I imagine Arnell's brief will be to observe and assist when directed. Not sure about her involvement in the SANFL on game day at this stage though- that bit may be a step too far at this stage.

 

[Marmozet]

Arnell shares pregnancy joy

Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell has announced that she is expecting a baby in early 2024 with partner Lexi.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

 

[Marmozet]

 

[Ford Fairlane]

When Juliet Haslam, Port Adelaide’s head of women’s football, called Lauren Arnell in early 2022 to ask if she’d want to apply for their inaugural AFLW head coaching position, there was no way for Haslam to know that the retired Brisbane Lions premiership player was going through the hardest time of her life.

But her personal heartache was, in a roundabout way, what led Arnell to accept the job, becoming the first former AFLW player to coach in the elite women’s competition.

Now, a year-and-a-half after the couple’s first miscarriage, Arnell is in the third trimester of her pregnancy – a baby girl – all while coaching Power’s second season in the competition.

From miscarriage, to coaching AFLW while pregnant: Lauren Arnell’s journey from heartache to hope

 

[Marmozet]