Mick Stinear steps down from Demons AFLW coaching role days after guiding side to preliminary final

Just days after Melbourne fell just short of toppling North Melbourne, the Demons’ only AFLW coach Mick Stinear has stepped down from the position he’s held for 101 games.

Melbourne premiership coach Mick Stinear has stepped away from the Dees after nearly a decade in charge as a significant AFLW coaching swap takes shape.

Stinear has been strongly linked to the Geelong job since Dan Lowther departed as AFLW coach on Friday.

He told the Demons on Monday he would be stepping down after 101 games at the helm and Melbourne players and staff widely expect he will pursue the vacant Geelong job.

The Demons have largely enjoyed a period of contention under Stinear – who has been the club’s only AFLW head coach – and won the flag in 2022’s season seven of the league.

Mick Stinear speaks to his troops during the preliminary final against North Melbourne. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Before taking charge of Melbourne’s AFLW team he was a premiership winning coach at Coates League side Oakleigh Chargers and joined the Dees as a men’s development coach but lost his position in the men’s program due to Covid cutbacks.

The Cats announced Lowther would be stepping down after taking on the head coach job in 2021, with Geelong failing to make the finals in either of the last two seasons.

Stinear and the Demons lining up on Saturday. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Stinear, who lives on the Surf Coast, said after a gallant 10-point preliminary final loss to North Melbourne on Saturday he would weigh up his future.

“It’s obviously a big commitment to be a senior coach,” he said.

“I want to make sure I’m the right person (to coach Melbourne), that’s the right thing to do by my family. I’ll have those discussions with my wife.”

Stinear’s departure means four clubs are now searching for a new coach, with the Demons and Cats joined by Sydney and Adelaide.

Melbourne CEO Paul Guerra thanked Stinear.

“Mick has been an exceptional leader of our AFLW program and has played a critical role in shaping the team into what it is today,” Guerra said.

“To build a program from its inception and achieve the sustained success Mick has including a premiership is a testament to his character and his commitment to the program.”

Originally published as Mick Stinear steps down from Demons AFLW coaching role days after guiding side to preliminary final