Paul Groves, the coach of the Western Bulldogs who won the premiership, is about to take a job back at Whitten Oval while Hawthorn decides whether to give Daniel Harford another chance to lead an AFLW team.
Groves is the front-runner for the senior coaching post at the Bulldogs, who won their lone AFLW flag in 2018. This week, the club is holding its last round of interviews.
A few candidates, including former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley, who also applied for the West Coast position, are reportedly still in the running to succeed Nathan Burke, who was fired in November with one year left on his contract as the Bulldogs finished with a 1-9 record.
Melbourne assistant coach and Sandringham Dragons under-18 girls’ head coach Tamara Hyett is also among the final names under consideration.
Groves could return to Whitten Oval after ending his inaugural three-year stint ahead of the 2020 season due to increasing family commitments.
He took up a position running the sports department at Parade College before becoming director of sport at St Bernard’s College, while he also coached St Bernard’s senior men in the VAFA between 2020 and 2022.
Last year, he was handed the reins of the VAFA’s representative women’s side in its annual interstate match.
He declined to comment when contacted by this masthead about the position.
It comes as Hawthorn, who parted company with the initial coach at the end of the 2023 season, is seriously considering Daniel Harford, a former player and Carlton AFLW coach, to succeed Bec Goddard.
It’s believed that Daniel Webster, the assistant coach of the reigning premiers Brisbane, and Harford are the front-runners as the Hawks get ready to make an announcement as soon as this week.
After five seasons in charge, Carlton fired Harford in January of last year as part of an internal club investigation that also resulted in the firing of women’s football director Brett Munro.
It comes as Hawthorn strongly considers former player and Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford to replace Bec Goddard after parting ways with the inaugural coach at the end of the 2023 season.
It’s understood Harford and Daniel Webster, an assistant coach at reigning premier Brisbane, are the leading candidates as the Hawks prepare to announce their decision as early as this week.
Carlton sacked Harford last January after five seasons at the helm in the aftermath of an internal club review that also led to the departure of women’s football boss Brett Munro.
