GOLD Coast is set to confirm the landmark appointment of Rhyce Shaw as its next AFLW coach, in a move that will see Shaw become the first person to hold the title as a full-time senior coach at both AFL and AFLW level.
Shaw spent the bulk of two seasons as North Melbourne’s senior men’s coach between 2019 and 2020, but is now set to take over Gold Coast’s women’s program following the departure of former coach Cameron Joyce late last year.
It’s understood Gold Coast had approached an uncertain Shaw over the role late last year, but made inroads on his appointment after the former North Melbourne boss returned from his Christmas break determined to return to coaching.
Shaw has spent the last four seasons with the Suns in a series of development roles, but has most recently enjoyed significant success as the director of coaching within the club’s blossoming Academy program.
There, he played a key role in Gold Coast’s Academy producing four first-round selections at men’s level in 2023 (Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham) and another top 10 pick last year (Leo Lombard).
The club also inherited five women’s players through its Academy program last month including the No.2 pick Havana Harris, pick No.27 Heidi Talbot, pick No.29 Mia Salisbury, pick No.41 Nyalli Milne and pick No.47 Tara Harrington.
Next season’s Telstra AFLW Draft is expected to be even more loaded with Suns Academy talent with Dekota Baron, Georja Davies, Ava Usher and Alannah Welsh already being touted as potential top selections.
Shaw’s involvement with the future core of Gold Coast’s AFLW playing group through his role in the Academy program is said to have been a significant factor in the club pinpointing him as its next women’s coach.
It’s also understood Shaw will continue in his role as the director of coaching within the club’s Academy program, and will combine his under-18 duties with his new title as senior AFLW coach.’
Gold Coast finished last year with a disappointing 1-9-1 record, leading to Joyce’s dismissal just months after he signed a contract extension with the club through until the 2026 season.
Shaw’s impending appointment comes at a transitional stage for the club’s AFLW program, who will also head into the 2025 campaign with a new captain after ex-skipper Tara Bohanna was traded to Carlton last month.
It led to his appointment as senior men’s coach with the Kangas firstly in an interim capacity in 2019, before he was hired full-time after guiding the club to a 7-5 record following the mid-year departure of Brad Scott.
However, Shaw left North Melbourne after just one season in charge as a full-time senior coach following a 2020 campaign where the Kangas went 3-14 and lost 14 of their final 15 games for the year.
Two other AFLW coaches have led men’s programs before, but only in an interim capacity, with North Melbourne’s Darren Crocker (15 games across three stints with the Kangaroos) and ex-Giants boss Alan McConnell (11 games across two stints with Fitzroy) also coaching both men’s and women’s sides.
