St Kilda has added two new faces to its AFLW coaching panel, with AFLW stalwart Alison Downie and Andrew Fisher coming on board for the upcoming campaign.
A well-known and respected name in women’s football circles, Downie joins Nick Dal Santo’s coaching group in a specialist role to help facilitate the development of the club’s talls.
Downie’s inclusion will mark her first official coaching role at an AFLW club, with the experienced ruck and three-time WNBL champion hanging up the boots on her 59-game career between Carlton and Collingwood at the end of last season.
Meanwhile, Fisher has been appointed as Assistant Coach (Backs), assuming the position from David Carden, who will move into a specialist defensive role as he spends the first few months of pre-season traveling around Australia with his family.
Fisher comes to St Kilda with an extensive background in coaching, having most recently served as Head Coach of the U15 Victorian Girls Team and as backline coach of the Dandenong Stingrays.
The teacher by trade isn’t a stranger at RSEA Park, having led St Kilda’s U15 Girls Next Generation Academy since 2021.
“We’re delighted to welcome Alison and Andrew to our coaching ranks for 2023,” Head of AFLW Tessie McManus said.
“Alison’s recent playing experience will be invaluable and will translate well into her new role, as will Andrew’s time in the development coaching ranks which will greatly benefit our young players.
“On behalf of the club, I’d like to thank David Carden for the work he has done over the past few seasons as our defensive coach. Being the selfless person he is and knowing he couldn’t fully commit to the pre-season program due to his previously planned travel commitments, he has taken a step back to allow Andrew to come into the club.
“We look forward to welcoming David back in August in a specialist defensive role.
“We’re confident we have a strong, experienced and capable coaching group and we look forward to building that further as we approach this year’s campaign.”
In other changes to St Kilda’s AFLW coaching group for 2023, Lachlan Harris and Dale Robinson have swapped lines and will now take charge of the midfield and forward groups respectively.
The latest appointments follow the off-season recruitments of Bree Van Ryswyk to AFLW Personal Development Manager and Psychologist and Taylah Jack as AFLW High Performance Manager.
Meanwhile, Anthony Tang and Amy Decker have been promoted to AFLW List & Recruiting Manager and Head of Medical respectively. Tang will continue his role of Performance Analyst in tandem with his new responsibilities.
St Kilda AFLW 2023 Coaching Panel
AFLW Senior Coach - Nick Dal Santo
AFLW Assistant Coach (Midfield) + Football Strategy Lead - Lachlan Harris
AFLW Assistant Coach (Forwards) - Dale Robinson
AFLW Assistant Coach (Backs) - Andrew Fisher
AFLW Specialist Coach - Alison Downie
AFLW Specialist Coach - David Carden
