‘One arm tied behind her back’: Inside Dons’ call… and why coach kept players in the dark — AFLW Talking Points

Outgoing Essendon coach Natalie Wood has opened up on her exit after keeping players in the dark for five days. Plus a major AFLW fixture shake-up gathers pace.

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‘ONE ARM TIED BEHIND HER BACK’: INSIDE DONS’ COACH CALL… AND WHY WOOD KEPT PLAYERS IN THE DARK

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Outgoing Essendon coach Natalie Wood says she deliberately kept news of her impending departure from her playing group until after the Bombers’ Round 11 game to ensure three teammates could enjoy their milestone moments without distraction.

Essendon confirmed on Sunday that Wood wouldn’t be offered a new contract beyond the 2026 season, with the announcement coming just minutes after the Bombers’ five-point loss to Hawthorn.

Chief executive Tim Roberts and women’s football general manager Aysha Ward addressed the playing group post-game after Wood had kept the club’s decision to herself since Tuesday.

Speaking at her post-match press conference, Wood said she wanted Alex Morcom and Maddi Gay to celebrate their 50-game and 75-game milestones respectively, while ensuring retiring teammate Amelia Radford was acknowledged.

“I would prefer no one ever knows and I’d just disappear off into the sunset without any discussion or interview,” Wood said. “Always forefront of my mind is playing group first – so thought it was best to hold off until today. Aysha (Ward, general manager) is heavily pregnant and going on leave in two or three weeks, so I think the club is keen on getting a start in searching for their new coach.“

Wood will leave over four years after she was appointed Essendon’s first AFLW senior coach. During her five-season tenure, she became the first woman to coach 50 AFLW games.

The Bombers have won just two of their past 20 games across the past two seasons and sit 16th with a 1-10 record this year.

“It’s safe to say that the results that they’ve delivered this season (are) incredibly dismal, looking at that record this season. It hasn’t been enough to earn her (Wood) another contract,” CODE Sports reporter Lauren Wood told Fox Footy’s The W Debrief on Sunday night.

Asked if she was disappointed with how it’d fallen out for her at Essendon, Natalie Wood said: “It depends how narrow of a view I have of it.

“To be the first female coach to coach 50 games, I’m really proud of that. To build a team from the ground up, as one of the last expansion teams and the season coming forward, it was a mad rush.

“At the same time, the club’s had a lot of instability. There’s been four CEOs, three presidents, three men’s senior captains and three senior coaches, so to build a culture within our program while the instability of the club – and it’s in a good spot now, a strong vision moving forward – it’s been hard at times while there’s been so much change in management and leadership.

“When I look back to the start of the season and we had so many players sign long-term contracts, players that are really important to our program going forward … we’ve built a culture and place where players really want to be, I’ve done something right.”

Fox Footy commentator Kelli Underwood said Wood should leave the Bombers “with her head held high”.

“We know how difficult it is for the women who coach at the moment … we saw Lauren Arnell at Port Adelaide stand down because she just didn’t have the support — and I think Natalie Wood would agree with her to that point,” Underwood told The W Debrief.

“You get burnt out, you don’t get her support and she’s done well with a clear lack of support from the club — I take my hat off to her a little bit … because she’s done it with one arm tied behind her back.

“With all of that turmoil around her – given the entire focus of this whole club for the last five years has been the men’s program – you feel for her to some extent. I think she leaves with her head held high.”

Lauren Wood said premiership Bulldogs AFLW coach Paul Groves and former Carlton coach Daniel Harford would be contenders for the Bombers’ role, as would Lions premiership captain and highly-rated Giants assistant coach Emma Zielke.

Among those with coaching ambitions is retiring Giants veteran Alicia Eva, who has spent much of her playing career working in coaching roles and is now weighing up her next move.

Asked if she was ready to coach an AFLW team straight away, Eva told Fox Footy’s The W Debrief: “It’s a good question. It’s something I’ve been weighing up.

“Obviously, I’m a player that’s worked as a coach my whole W career. Moving up to the Giants, part of that was to move into a coaching role. I’ve been part of the AFL program up there for a really long time.

“With my journey, I’ve been chipping away at coaching … But I feel like I’ve been doing that with one eye on the future.

“Truth be told, no decisions have been made. There are a few different options that are on the table – and I’m fortuitous to be in that position – but it’s a conversation that (partner) Claude and I will need to have. The club has been fantastic with me over the last few years, so I want to do what’s right for my family and the footy club.”

Eva said she wanted to coach at “the highest level I can”.

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Asked whether she’d had contact from Tasmania or St Kilda, Eva cheekily said “maybe my manager has” before adding more broadly: “There are discussions behind the scenes around what comes next for me. I’m really lucky to have some people help navigate those discussions while I finish off the season with the Giants.

“Tasmania asked me about VFL last year. I wasn’t ready to finish playing. My phone is here if anyone wants to call – I’m unemployed soon – but the Giants are keen to see me stay on too.

“I coached the Giants Academy this year and it really reinvigorated my love for head coaching. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to football … I’m happy to take any call.”

‘FIRST TIME IT’S HAPPENED’: FIXTURE’S NEW GROUND AS CLUBS RALLY AROUND KEY INITIATIVE

The AFL is set to press on the gas pedal with AFLW double-headers next season.

It comes off the back of this year’s success, particularly at Marvel Stadium, with Carlton-St Kilda in August drawing 20,455 people to Docklands.

The W Debrief’s Kelli Underwood reports the initiative has widespread support from clubland, with the women’s fixture for the first time being constructed alongside the men’s.

“My understanding is that all 18 clubs have put their hands up and said ‘we’re in; we want a slice of the pie; we absolutely love the double-headers’. It’s been overwhelmingly positive from the players,” Underwood told Fox Footy last weekend.

“The AFL is currently looking at the men’s fixture, and as a result, for the first time, the AFL is actually building both fixtures together.

“This is the first time it’s ever happened – to do more double-headers, they need to use more AFL rounds, which brings the season to a much earlier start to June.

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“The grand final, they’re looking at mid-November, so it could be a Friday, November 12 (or) Saturday, November 13.

“More Friday nights at Marvel Stadium – maybe women’s at 5.30, men’s at 7.40 … we’re hearing things along those lines.”

Code Sports journalist Lauren Wood said it was “a step forward” that everything was on the table from a fixture perspective.

“I was really surprised to learn that it was the first time the two fixtures have been done in conjunction with one another,” she said.

“Typically, the men’s fixture is locked away in the next few weeks … and it was always the women’s fixture that was retrofitted to sort of fit into the men’s.”

The mooted changes, which would see the women’s season stretched to five months in length compared to the current four, resonated with Chloe Molloy.

“I think off the back of the success of (the double-headers) … I’ve never been opposed to not having double-headers – we both play the same sport, the same product, and fans are fans of football clubs,” Molloy told The W Debrief.

“I think it’s great; I think the exposure to fans … I loved being a part of the one at the SCG, so I would want that for every other football club … I’m all for it.”

‘SPENT A LOT OF TIME’: OFF-FIELD MOVE DRIVING SUPERSTAR’S BOUNCE-BACK

After multiple recent injury hindrances, Sydney superstar Chloe Molloy is back at the peak of her powers.

The Swans’ inspiration has kicked 24 goals for the season – including five on the weekend against West Coast – to sit on top of the AFLW goalkicking table and propel her side to a finals berth.

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It comes after back surgery cost her last season, which followed a cruel ACL injury.

The triple AFLW All-Australian is back doing freakish things on the field, though, including a mesmerising goal against Carlton in Round 10.

But while she rarely does wrong with the Sherrin, Molloy says she’s taken steps to rediscover the non-footy parts of herself.

“It does feel good. I made a conscious effort this season to not be defined by football, and really focus on the other parts that make up me,” she said on Fox Footy’s The W Debrief.

“I’ve been able to do some cool things on the football field, but my role isn’t just to kick the goals; I’ve got a defensive mindset as I’ve gone into games.

“I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about me and who I want to be away from the football field, and enjoying gameday when it’s here, but I very much get to the 24 hours post and I’m just me.”

Molloy spoke glowingly of her support network outside the footy club.

“Athletes say they have more lows than highs, and every time (I’ve gotten hurt) I’ve been reminded of how important it is to have the support around you, and having people outside the four walls of the football club,” she said.

“Having people that you can go to … when an injury is upon you because of football, it’s a really hard pill to swallow, because you want to be out there playing.

“Having people around you who love you for you no matter what the outcome of the game is … so important to me, and whether I like it or not, every time I’ve been injured, I’ve been reminded to tap into that network.”

Now, the 27-year-old has her power back as a forward-half force, ranking equal-fourth for score involvements this season.

“I can do that (kick great goals) because I put so much time and energy into my body, into my mindset, into how I rock up on gameday,” she added.

“It does take a bit … Nothing that I do comes from luck. I very much train the way that I play.

“I look at that (her highlights) and I think ‘she just looks happy to play football’.”