Greater Western Sydney Giants appoint Alan McConnell to coach AFLW side

GWS have upped the ante with new coach Alan McConnell bringing his mammoth 40 years of experience to the AFLW team next season.

New AFLW coach for the GWS Giants women's team Alan McConnell with players Renee Forth, Maddy Collier and Emma Swanson. McConnell has been an assistant with the men's AFL side. Picture. Phil Hillyard

GWS have upped the ante with new coach Alan McConnell bringing his mammoth 40 years of experience to the AFLW team next season.

The club’s director of coaching, the 60-year-old’s wealth of knowledge will be a massive boost to the women’s team and the fledgling competition.

After playing 37 games for Footscray in the 1980s, he has produced a coaching CV as long as his arm, including the senior job at Fitzroy in their final year before they merged with Brisbane in 1996.

He worked as an assistant coach at Geelong before going on to run the AFL’s program at the Australian Institute of Sport. He has been an integral part of the GWS organisation from day one and was the club’s first full-time employee when appointed in 2009.

“I’ve been blown away by the impact the AFLW has had on the game,” McConnell told the Daily Telegraph.

New GWS coach Alan McConnell with players Renee Forth, Maddy Collier and Emma Swanson. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“I coached Fitzroy’s last game at Princes Park and there were more people at the Giants’ AFLW game against Carlton than the last game Fitzroy played in Melbourne. The energy the girls brought to the building since the day they arrived has been something to see. It’s been a fantastic thing for our footy club.”

McConnell worked with the Giants AFLW in the inaugural season as a mentor for the coaches and takes over from coach Tim Schmidt who is concentrating on other business interests.

GWS finished with the wooden spoon but were competitive in five of their seven home-and-away matches, beating Melbourne and drawing with Fremantle.

“The Giants AFLW team were tough,” McConnell said.

“They had a couple of games when they found it tough against the grand final teams Adelaide and Brisbane but outside that they were in it up to their necks. The thing that really impressed me was how they kept their energy levels so high. The way they kept turning up was fantastic.”

Marquee player Emma Swanson says McConnell’s stature in the game shows just how serious GWS are about their AFLW team.

Maddy Collier in action for GWS last season. Picture: Sarah Reed

“Alan’s appointment is a big statement saying we’re here to play now,” the vice-captain said.

“We’re not here to make up the numbers. It’s such a good thing for the girls footy education having someone with Alan’s experience and knowledge.”

McConnell will remain in his position as director of coaching for the men’s team and is hopeful of a double premiership in the coming years.

“What the girls did last year wasn’t unlike what the men’s team did in their first couple of years.”

Originally published as Greater Western Sydney Giants appoint Alan McConnell to coach AFLW side