Jeff White coaches Tahlia Hickie on ground movement for Brisbane Lions
Ex-AFL ruckman Jeff White is helping Brisbane Lions AFLW ruck Tahlia Hickie develop her game around the ground beyond tap work.
Jeff White played as an undersized, mobile ruck for Fremantle and Melbourne for more than a decade. Now he is coaching Tahlia Hickie, a Brisbane AFLW ruck, focusing on what he does best: athleticism and ground movement.
When Lions coach Craig Starcevich asked White to become a specialist ruck coach last year, White jumped at it. Through video analysis, White showed Hickie where to position herself and how to run the opposition off their feet.
Recent rule changes at centre stoppage now reward mobile rucks who can link play across the ground. White's experience as a smaller ruck who thrived against taller opponents has proven valuable.
Hickie said White's cues about field positioning and post-stoppage movement took her game to another level.
- Fremantle and Melbourne
- AFL clubs
- Craig Starcevich
- Brisbane Lions coach
Why it mattersGood coaching taps into each athlete's strengths; White's mobile ruck style suits Hickie's game far better than her previous coach's taller-body approach.
AustraliaBrisbane Lions AFLW have a ruck coached by someone who played the position at AFL level and understands how to win without height, boosting their 2026 campaign.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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