Tim Weatherald and Andrew McLeod may join list of suitors for Crows’ AFLW coaching job

ADELAIDE will begin its search for a new AFLW coach this week and the list of candidates may include a Magarey Medallist and a dual Norm Smith Medal winning club legend.

Magarey Medallist Tim Weatherald is a possible contender for the Crows AFLW coaching job.

ADELAIDE will begin its search for a new AFLW coach this week and the list of candidates may include a Magarey Medallist and a dual Norm Smith Medal winning club legend.

The Crows will call for expressions of interest to replace premiership mentor Bec Goddard who resigned last week after two seasons in charge.

It’s understood the club wants the new coach to be employed full-time but there is no shortlist of preferred candidates.

Possible suitors include 340-game champion Andrew McLeod, his two-time premiership winning teammate Peter Caven and Brooke Copeland, who all joined Goddard’s coaching panel last season. Senior assistant Andrew Hodges and Tim Weatherald, who played 311 SANFL games with Sturt and Norwood and won the 2002 Magarey Medal, are also in the mix.

Weatherald spent last week at Adelaide in talks with Phil Harper about coaching up to 10 of the Crows in the NT Thunder’s inaugural VFL women’s team, which opens its season on May 5.

“I’d be open to it (the Adelaide coaching job) but I haven’t had any talks with anyone about it,” Weatherald said.

“This (NT Thunder) role is a good opportunity to coach and gives me some involvement with the Crows and I’d eventually like to get back to Adelaide.”

Weatherald had coaching stints with the SA under-16 team and North Adelaide’s under-18s before joining Waratahs and the NT Thunder men’s team in Darwin three years ago.

Andrew McLeod was an assistant coach to Bec Goddard at the Crows this season. Picture: Sarah Reed

McLeod also has coaching experience with Norwood in the SANFL but is already committed to running Adelaide’s indigenous programs which remains his passion. He could not be contacted for comment.

The role may also appeal to one of the club’s current assistant or development coaches who is working in the men’s program including Matthew Clarke, Paul Thomas or Tate Kaesler.

While superstar Erin Phillips has returned to the US for basketball commitments after re-signing with the Crows for next season, fellow A-Graders Chelsea Randall, Ebony Marinoff and Courtney Cramey will all play for the NT Thunder in the VFL women’s competition.

The Thunder will play eight games in Melbourne, five in Darwin and one in Alice Springs and the side can field up to 12 AFLW listed players each week.

[e-mail]