Daniel Harford fired: Carlton fires AFLW coach

After an internal review of the AFL women’s program launched in December, the Blues determined that their women’s team needed a full-time coach.

Given Harford’s media commitments as the host of RSN’s breakfast show, continuing the role was deemed untenable.

And players have been alerted to the need to increase their professionalism, with the review also identifying improving players’ “elite demeanor” as a key area that needs improvement.

Harford, a former Hawthorn and Carlton player, led the Blues to the 2019 AFLW Grand Final and had signed on for another two years just eight months ago.

The Herald Sun, who is under contract for at least one more season, understands the details of the termination are still being worked out.

The review found that the team had “insufficient leadership to support and drive professionalism and elite behavior” and that there had been “confusion with the game plan and a lack of alignment and consistency in its implementation.

“As a club, we are responsible to our members for constantly identifying ways and drivers for top performance that lead to success on and off the pitch. We all have a role in being accountable, and that starts with the board of directors,” club president Luke Sayers said Tuesday night.

“So we commissioned this review to ultimately improve the performance of our overall AFLW program.”

Carlton only won two games last season.

“As a result, the board arranged for an independent review of the club’s AFLW programme, with the main intention of identifying barriers to success on the pitch and ensuring that we are not only improving the team’s overall performance, but also for the long-term whilst developing.” competition develops, and to develop and implement recommendations that help lay the foundations for future success,” Sayers said.

“After meeting with our board… and receiving a full briefing on the report, the findings made it clear that changes were needed within the AFLW football program in order for us as a club to achieve our objective of this review, including the senior -Coach position.”

Sayers said the responsibility rests with everyone – including the players – to lift in key areas now.

The review concluded that “opportunities exist… for players to improve elite professional standards and behavior in order to build and sustain an effective high-performance culture”.

Originally posted as Carlton firing AFLW coach Daniel Harford