Eight-time Port Adelaide premiership player Greg Phillips set to coach SMOSH West Lakes’ inaugural women’s side

Eight-time Port Adelaide premiership player Greg Phillips is looking forward to coaching the inaugural women’s team of SMOSH West Lakes – where his daughter, Crows star Erin, played juniors.

Eight-time Port Adelaide SANFL premiership player Greg Phillips will coach SMOSH West Lakes’ inaugural women’s team in the Adelaide Footy League’s division one. Phillips, pictured with SMOSH players Bronwyn Davey (left) and Remy Grant (right). Picture: AAP/Brenton Edwards

Greg Phillips has a fair idea of what it takes to be successful on the football field.

The Port Adelaide Hall of Famer claimed eight SANFL flags with the Magpies between 1977-92 and a best and fairest medal in 1988.

Now Phillips is preparing to start a new chapter, coaching the inaugural women’s A grade at SMOSH West Lakes – where his daughter, Crows star Erin, played juniors.

The 59-year-old, who lined up in 343 SANFL games with Port and 84 VFL matches with Collingwood, is excited for SMOSH’s division one Adelaide Footy League campaign to start in May but knows success will not come immediately.

Greg Phillips gives his daughter Erin a kiss after she led the Crows to the inaugural AFLW premiership in 2017. Picture: Jason O'Brien/Getty Images

“We are starting from the bottom and working our way up,” Phillips, of West Lakes, says.

“If we make finals then that’s a bonus.

“It’s going to take time to improve the girls’ skills, fitness and body strength but SMOSH and the committee is 100 per cent on the right track.”

The Lions appointed Phillips in October and he accepted the role because of his strong family ties.

Erin is a past winner of the club’s under-14 boys best and fairest, while his eldest daughter, Rachel Porter, has twin girls Chloe and Ashlee, who play with the club’s under-12 girls team in the SANFL junior competition.

“I was out watching the grandkids play and I guess that fire to coach and be involved started up again,” he says.

“I’m just there to help these girls develop in the sport they love.”

Tim Ginever (left) and Greg Phillips (right) celebrating after Port Adelaide won the 1992 SANFL grand final against Glenelg. Picture: News Corp

SMOSH replaced Port Adelaide in the top tier after the Magpies, who had no affiliation with Port’s AFL club, folded in September.

Division two premier Mount Lofty and runner-up Angle Vale join SMOSH as newcomers to the top tier.

Salisbury will be hunted after winning last season’s division one grand final against Adelaide University.

Adelaide University, Christies Beach and Morphettville Park are also in division one.

The league is tweaking with the fixture and is set to release it later this month.