AFLW: Rhyce Shaw on how the Gold Coast Suns academy influenced his return to coaching

Incoming Gold Coast Suns AFLW coach Rhyce Shaw has revealed what inspired his senior coaching comeback four years after parting ways with North Melbourne.

Newly unveiled Gold Coast Suns AFLW coach Rhyce Shaw has revealed it was the club’s academy that “lit something” in him and inspired his return to the rigours of a head coaching role.

Shaw’s appointment came four years after he stepped away from the senior men’s coaching role at North Melbourne, citing personal reasons.

The 43-year-old has been working at the Suns since 2021, with his roles including head of development in the AFL program and, most recently, director of coaching with the club’s academy.

“It was a really difficult time for me at North Melbourne, I don’t shy away from that,” Shaw said of his exit from the Kangaroos in 2020.

“I had my own personal issues going on and there were some football factors as well, but in the end we went our separate ways and the path that led me to where I am now has helped me get through that.

“The (Gold Coast) academy has been a fantastic platform for me to find myself as a coach again and be able to learn and experience new skills with a different group, hopefully that can transfer into the W space.

“We’re a bit untapped in this regard and it’s a really exciting time for our club in the female space, we’ve got some girls coming through that are top notch, not just next year but the year after that.”

Rhyce Shaw as the Gold Coast Suns Head of Development during an AFL training session. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

Shaw had his first meeting with the playing group last night, and said he told Gold Coast’s newly drafted academy products that they had “inspired” him.

“The last few months working with them and the growth and the energy and passion I’ve seen them bring to training every night, it’s really lit something in me and that’s why I’ve chosen to go down this path (as a head coach again),” Shaw said.

“I’ve learnt new skills over the last three months that will benefit me a lot in the coming years. Those girls in the under-18s have been fantastic for me.”

Rhyce Shaw as the Gold Coast runner. Pic: Michael Klein.

Shaw is expected to continue his role with the academy while he takes the reins as AFLW coach, with all the Gold Coast academy fixtures set to be wrapped up well before the AFLW season commences later in the year.

The former Collingwood and Sydney player said he took his time to arrive at the conclusion he was ready to step back into the hot-seat.

“We had discussions early days and I didn’t think too much of it,” Shaw said of when the Suns first approached him.

“Over Christmas and then going through the 18s program and seeing the girls work, you could see that improvement and the drive that they’ve got to get better, I’m really excited about the Academy series to be honest.

“I really want to coach, I am a coach, and I want to do a great job for this football club.”

Rhyce Shaw during his time at North Melbourne. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

2025 will shape as a new dawn for the Suns after the club slumped to 17th in a testing final season under Cameron Joyce. Captain Tara Bohanna was also traded to Carlton.

North Melbourne had slumped to 3-7 in the 2019 AFL season when Shaw took over as the interim coach, and he believed that experience would hold him in good stead.

“I’ve been through this situation before in the men’s program and I understand and can learn from those experiences and can bring what I think is needed to the program in the female space,” Shaw said.

“It’s a really exciting time for our footy club, the girls had a bit of a down year last year, I think we can bounce back pretty quick.”

Originally published as AFLW: Rhyce Shaw on how the Gold Coast Suns academy influenced his return to coaching