Norwood SANFLW premiership coach Steve Symonds excited to be new Collingwood AFLW mentor
Steve Symonds has led Norwood to a SANFLW premiership, a runner-up finish and preliminary final in his three years as senior coach. Now he is taking charge of Collingwood’s AFL side.
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Norwood SANFLW premiership mentor Steve Symonds will coach Collingwood’s AFLW team in 2020.
The Magpies announced on Tuesday that Symonds would replace ex-mentor Wayne Siekman, who was axed in April.
Symonds has served as the Redlegs women’s coach since the SANFLW’s inception in 2017, leading the club to a premiership in the inaugural season.
The 48-year-old also coached Norwood to a losing grand final last year and this past season’s preliminary final.
Collingwood won seven of its 21 games in three seasons under Siekman, including just one match this past season.
Symonds, who signed a two-year contract with the Magpies, said making them a strong club culturally was as important as improving the on-field results.
“I am very excited and really looking forward to an opportunity to take my coaching skills to the next level and to work with a big club as well is fantastic,” Symonds said.
“While Collingwood haven’t had much success, they have a very young list.
“Fortunately they’ve been able to retain most of their list from last year, so it gives me a great platform to work with.
“I am a cultural-based coach and Collingwood is very big at the moment about pushing culture at the club.
“Hopefully I can come in and build and take the group to the next level.”
Symonds has previously held assistant coaching roles at Sturt, Glenelg and West Adelaide.
He also worked in Darwin as the AFLNT’s development manager.
Symonds has combined coaching the Redlegs’ junior boys’ and girls’ development teams with his SANFLW role the past three years.
“It’s been fantastic and I thank Norwood for giving me an opportunity to build a (women’s) program from scratch” he said.
“I’ve loved every minute of it.
“From day one we wanted to build a sound culture and that’s what we were able to achieve so that’s probably my proudest moment so far.
“I’m hoping the club involved and the girls continue to drive that because it’s really a special place.”
Symonds was set to head to Melbourne later this week.
He would be watching the VFLW competition closely over the next few months, eyeing potential recruits.
“Collingwood hasn’t been, particularly in the past 12 months, a high scoring team, so that’s certainly an aspect I’ll be looking at,” he said.
“There’s some really good young talent on the list and I think with time and development we will see some of that talent shine through.”
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