Brendan Fevola to lead new generation of goalkickers at Richmond

A former AFL goalkicking guru has taken on a specialist coaching role to mentor the next wave of forwards.

Brendan Fevola has taken a specialist coaching role at Richmond AFLW.

Goalkicking great Brendan Fevola will guide a new generation of forwards after taking on a specialist coaching role at Richmond AFLW.

Fevola was a three-time All-Australian, two-time Coleman Medallist and kicked 623 goals across his 204 AFL games at Carlton and Brisbane.

The 44-year-old has coaching experience, leading several local sides as well as assisting with Collingwood’s AFLW program last year.

Richmond head of women’s football Kate Sheahan said Fevola was “exactly the type of person” the Tigers were looking to insert into their program.

“His energy is infectious; he has coached his own team, and his on-field resume speaks for itself,” Sheahan said.

Brendan Fevola has taken a specialist coaching role at Richmond AFLW. Picture: Richmond FC.

“However, what has really stood out when talking to Brendan – who is, of course, a father of four girls – is his genuine excitement for women’s football.

“Brendan will regularly be on the track at our training sessions, and our players are thrilled to have him on-board.”

Fevola said walking into Richmond on Wednesday was reminiscent of his first day as a Blue.

“I’m a Tiger! I went in there yesterday; it was a bit weird driving into Punt Road yesterday,” he said his morning radio show Fifi, Fev and Nick.

“It was surreal because one of my best mates, Chris Newman (former Richmond captain), was one of the first people I saw. ‘Look at us now, in our 40s and at Tigerland’. It was like my first day of being drafted at Carlton.

“I’m a specialist coach. I’ll be doing a lot with the forwards…. I’ll be doing everything.

“Obviously, my passion for women’s footy, and I just love footy. So, they wanted me to be a specialist coach so I could help out the midfielders and the defenders.”

Brendan Fevola will be hoping to bring his trademark goalkicking accuracy to Punt Rd in his new coaching role.

Fevola isn’t the only change to the Tigers’ AFLW coaching ranks, with assistant coach Nathan Chapman stepping down from his position.

Richmond cited his increasing commitments to Prokick Australia as the reason for Chapman’s decision.

Prokick, which Chapman founded, has been an Aussie launching pad for NFL punters since its establishment in 2007.

Chapman will stay involved at the Tigers in some capacity, but his role is undetermined.

“Nathan will remain a big part of our program; however, due to Prokick continuing to expand and the increasing demands that come with that, he will step away from his line coaching position,” Sheahan said.

“What Nathan is doing with Prokick is incredible, and at the same time, we are rapt that our AFLW players will be able to continue working with him going forward because he makes a big impact with our athletes as well.”