Adelaide has finalised its 2024 AFLW coaching structure, naming women's premiership Crow Renee Forth, current men's ruckman Kieran Strachan and former Collingwood player Jack Madgen.
Forth has been appointed midfield development coach, having been an inaugural AFLW marquee player signing for GWS and later traded to Adelaide where she played in the Crows' 2019 premiership.
The 37-year-old has been involved in the coaching ranks before, serving as an assistant in the 2018 AFL Under-18 Youth Girls Championship whilst also being a mentor during her playing days.
Forth was a development coach for GWS while she recovered from a knee injury in 2017 and for Port Adelaide's AFLW side in 2022, making the jump across to the Crows ahead of Season 9.
A Premiership Crow returns as part of our new-look coaching structure ๐คฉ๐ค
Details: https://t.co/21SGkHTKli pic.twitter.com/CC38rAK7mI
— Adelaide Crows AFLW (@CrowsAFLW) June 18, 2024
Head of Women's Football Phil Harper said Forth would assist midfield coach Courtney Cramey and have a particular focus on Adelaide's outside midfield players and structures.
โWe are very excited to welcome Renee back to the Club in an official coaching capacity,โ Harper said.
โRenee is a terrific person and as a past player herself, has already built some very strong relationships with our players.
โShe will work closely with our wingers and provide extra assistance for the coaches.โ
Ex-Pie and Adelaide SANFL captain Madgen will assist with the forward group of the AFLW women's side while Crows ruckman Strachan will take care of the rucks.
Harper said both Madgen and Strachan would bring valuable on-field experience to the coaching box.
โWe were fortunate to have Riley join our coaching ranks last year and while we will miss him around the Club, we thank him for his contribution to our team, he did a great job and was very popular,โ Harper said.
โJack has worked with our program in the past in a development coordinator role and we are thrilled to have him work with our forwards this year.
โKieran has been one of the leading ruckmen in the SANFL competition for a long time and his significant on-field experience will be a big asset to our rucks.โ
In other coaching news, Marijana Rajcic will return to her role as backline coach after going on maternity leave in the second half of last season.
The other addition to the Club'sย coachingย panelย for next season is the appointment of past Crows AFLW player Hannah Button as a development coach.
โWhen Hannah was rehabilitating a knee injury last season, she took on an off-field role for us,โ Harper said.
โWe are really pleased that we can keep her involved in our program and she will take on an important role coaching the scrimmageย matches for players not selected in the senior team.โ
