CARLTON is set to appoint Eleni Valos as its new AFLW head of football, promoting her from a position within the club’s VFL program.
Valos has spent the last three seasons as the club’s VFL operations manager and wellbeing coordinator, but is now expected to win the role as its new women’s footy boss ahead of the season starting next month.
Highly rated internally at Ikon Park, Valos has previously worked alongside Blues AFLW coach Mathew Buck during her time with the VFL program.
She has also spent stints as Carlton’s women’s football operations and compliance manager, as well as its student engagement coordinator at the Carlton College of Sport.
Valos is set to replace Ash Naulty in the role, after he departed in May before joining Adelaide as its new AFLW list manager.
She will become the ninth new head of AFLW to be appointed across a busy off-season for clubs, with half of the competition making changes to key personnel in their women’s football programs.
Ash Naulty during his time at Carlton. Picture: Carlton College of Sport
Valos will join fellow new appointments Katrina Gill (Melbourne), Bree Brock (Adelaide), Rhys Harwood (North Melbourne), Erin Phillips (Gold Coast), Keegan Brooksby (Hawthorn), Jane Woodlands-Thompson (Richmond), Danielle Smith (Brisbane) and Daniel Merrett (Port Adelaide) in the footy boss ranks at AFLW level.
Carlton has been tipped to challenge for AFLW success in 2026, having made a preliminary final last year before adding Gold Coast duo Lauren Bella and Claudia Whitfort as well as Adelaide’s Brooke Boileau during the Trade Period.
