Essendon will not renew Natalie Wood's AFLW coaching contract
Natalie Wood's contract as Essendon's AFLW coach will end after the 2026 season following a 1-10 campaign.
Essendon informed Natalie Wood on Tuesday that her contract will end after this season. Natalie Wood kept the news quiet for five days, only announcing it to players after Sunday's loss to Hawthorn.
Wood delayed the announcement to protect player milestones that week: a 50th game, a 75th game, and a retirement announcement. The team is 1-10 this season, but Wood will finish coaching, including next week's final match against Collingwood.
She was Essendon's inaugural AFLW coach when the club joined in 2022 and led them to finals in 2023 and 2024. Essendon joins St Kilda and expansion club Tasmania in seeking new AFLW coaches for 2027.
- 1-10
- Season record
- 2022-2026
- Years as inaugural coach
- 2023, 2024
- Finals appearances
Why it mattersThis shows how challenging it is to build a women's football program and how unstable AFLW coaching positions remain.
AustraliaFor Australian AFL fans, this shows the competitive challenges facing AFLW programs and the frequency of coaching changes in women's football.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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