North Melbourne shocks AFLW by not renewing coach Scott Gowans’ contract
North Melbourne has shocked the AFLW world by axing the coach that led the club to an 11-3 win-loss record in a move labelled ‘disgraceful’ by a former counterpart.
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North Melbourne has sacked its AFL Women’s coach in a stunning coronavirus cost-cutting move, labelled “disgraceful” by a former AFLW counterpart.
Scott Gowans, who has overseen just three losses in his 14 games at the helm since the Kangaroos joined the competition in 2018, will be replaced by North Melbourne premiership player Darren Crocker, who will serve a dual role as both AFLW senior coach and pro scout for the men’s program.
“The discussion with Scott was one I truly wish we didn’t have to have, but we’re operating under new rules with less flexibility,” North Melbourne general manager of football Brady Rawlings said.
“Scott has been a tremendous contributor to the club and our AFLW program. This circumstance has come about through no fault of his own and we sincerely thank him for his passion, commitment and hard work during his time at Arden St.
“Unfortunately for Scott and so many others across the industry, we and other clubs have been forced to make some very difficult and hard decisions.”
So sad to hear the news about @ScottGowans1 today, What could he do??? Disgraceful and feel for him. Having worked with him and seeing him grow he is one of the best coaches in the female game and Richmond should call him at a minimum. #qualityman #qualitycoach
— Wayne Siekman (@sambo54111) June 4, 2020
Gowans had been employed full-time to oversee the club’s dominant AFLW program and VFL Women’s team.
Rawlings said the club had to look to “those that can perform multiple tasks” and that Crocker – a long-time assistant coach of the men’s team – had “decades of experience and knowledge”.
Carlton AFLW star Darcy Vescio questioned the validity of dual-role positions, writing in a Herald Sun column that “to suggest AFLW roles be added to existing men’s positions benefits no one”.
“Accepting an AFLW job requires more time than what’s written in contracts, not to mention our game is very different,” she wrote.
It comes as clubs have been forced to prioritise immediate football spending across the board.
Amid cost-cutting measures, the league last month advised clubs that AFLW, VFL or VFLW staff would have to fall under the interim men’s department soft cap.
Clubs have been set a spending limit of $511,000 per month until the end of the men’s season, which is a cut of 37 per cent from the pre-coronavirus cap.
AFL Women’s has always had a separate cap of approximately $450,000.
It is understood that plans to revert to separate caps at the end of the men’s season – as AFLW pre-season prepares to begin – are in place with the league hopeful that the women’s soft cap could remain at its pre-COVID level.
League boss Gillon McLachlan has been adamant that all 14 clubs will survive the crisis.
Wayne Siekman, who coached Collingwood in its first three seasons, took to social media to express his disgust at Gowans’ dismissal.
“What (more) could he do???,” Siekman wrote.
“Disgraceful and feel for him. Having worked with him and seeing him grow he is one of the best coaches in the female game and Richmond should call him at a minimum.”
Richmond did not renew the contract of its inaugural coach Tom Hunter last month.
Geelong star Phoebe McWilliams said she had “the feeling this is only the beginning”.
“After seeing the AFLW take so many steps forward in recent years let’s hope we’re not too quick to step backwards,” she tweeted.
Get the feeling this is only the beginning. Very worried for my colleagues and friends who have given up a lot to pursue careers in women’s footy. After seeing the AFLW take so many steps forward in recent years let’s hope we’re not too quick to step backwards. https://t.co/ufIKWRPz7k
— Phoebe McWilliams (@phoebe_mcw) June 4, 2020
AFL Coaches’ Association chief executive Mark Brayshaw said he had reached out to Gowans, and said while he believed it was “a bit early to call on whether this is a trend”, almost all AFLW staff would have to prepare to be “multi-tasking”.
“It’s a rotten time to be, because none of us saw this coming, and I genuinely support what Brady said about how gut-wrenching this sort of decision is,” he said.
“My hunch is that those that are part-time are in strife, and those coaches of AFLW will also be doing something else around the club. One upside is that there’s likely to be closer integration and synergy with the men’s program, which the women have asked for, so that will be a good thing.”
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