Former Calder Cannons coach Andrew Jago calls to introduce TAC Cup-like analysis to Victorian Women’s Football League

AFL clubs will have vital recruitment data ahead of the league’s grand plan for a national women’s competition by 2020, if Melbourne University women’s coach Andrew Jago has his way.

TAC Cup football: Northern Knights V Calder Cannons. at Preston Calder Cannons coach Andrew Jago Picture: Mark Wilson

FEMALE  football clubs should have access to vital recruitment data, such as kicking efficiency and contested mark statistics, ahead of plans for a national women’s competition.

That’s the view of Melbourne University women’s coach Andrew Jago.

The former Calder Cannons mentor will introduce Champion Data-like analysis at his Victorian Women’s Football League club this season and has called for future widespread data analysis across Premier Division.

Jago has raised the possibility with the AFL of introducing the same recruitment indicators used at under-18 level into the VWFL as a tool for clubs to recruit players.

Champion Data is the leading supplier of statistical data for the AFL, and its figures from competitions such as the National Under-18 Championships and TAC Cup are used by AFL clubs. But Jago, a former­ AFL Victoria Youth Girls coach, said there was no reason why an identical system could not be applied to the VWFL.

“I want to bring the same type of statistics, the same sort of philosophies (as TAC Cup data analysis), to create draftable women’s footballers,” the first-year Mugars coach said.

“We won’t have Champion Data, but as a lecturer at Victoria University, I’m fortunate to have a lot of placement students at my disposal. We’ll have three or four cameras at every (Melbourne University Premier Division) game for video analysis.”

Jago hopes to help turn the VWFL into a breeding ground for AFL recruiters in preparation for the AFL’s grand plan of a televised national­ women’s competition by 2020.

This philosophy helped the 46-year-old score the top job at Melbourne Uni.

“As silly as it sounds, as someone with a TAC Cup background, I’m not interested in the win-loss-draw this season,” Jago said. “I told the club’s committee that when I applied for the job. I want to get women’s football to the stage where it’s potentially marketable to the AFL.

“My aspirations are to coach at the highest level humanly possible. I’m 47 in September, so the window is closing.”

Jago said his No. 1 priority would be development this season.

“We’ve had a couple of big losses — Lauren Spark and Alicia Eva are going overseas — but we’ve added in Nicole­ Hildebrand from Redan and Kirby Bentley from WA,” he said.

“Jessica Dominko is a netballer new to football, but she’s been outstanding. She’ll certainly form an important part of our forward-ruck structure.

“I’ve preached to the girls the importance of discipline, professionalism and structure. I’m not putting a win-loss ratio on anything.”

Jago tipped 20-year-old Gabriella Pound to have a breakout year for the Mugars.

Melbourne Uni lost its opening match of 2015 to Eastern Devils on Saturday, going down 11.8 (74) to 5.9 (39).