In a sweeping overhaul of its women's football program, the Richmond Football Club has terminated the contracts of AFLW senior coach Ryan Ferguson and high-profile football boss Kate Sheahan.
Review Triggers Major Changes
The decision follows the completion of a thorough external review into the Tigers' AFLW operations, released on Thursday. The review was launched in October after a dismal 2025 season where the team managed just two wins and finished third from the bottom on the ladder.
Richmond CEO Shane Dunne stated the on-field results were impossible to ignore. "We could not ignore our on-field results in 2025. Ultimately this is about building a program that gives our female athletes the best chance of success," Dunne said.
The move comes just months after the club made the puzzling decision to extend Ferguson's contract, a call that now appears at odds with the review's findings.
End of an Era for Key Figures
Ryan Ferguson had been a part of the Richmond system for over a decade, working across the AFL, AFLW, and VFL programs. Dunne acknowledged his service but indicated a clean break was needed. "Ultimately the decision was made that we needed a different voice, and we will now commence the search to find the best possible senior coach for our AFLW team," he said.
In a significant restructuring, the role of head of women's football, held by Kate Sheahan, has been made redundant. Sheahan, a former player and daughter of renowned sports journalist Mike Sheahan, was credited with building the AFLW program from its foundations.
"As executive head of women's football, Kate Sheahan has done a huge amount of work building our AFLW program from the ground up," Dunne said, thanking her for her dedication and passion.
Blueprint for a New Future
The club has outlined a series of decisive actions based on the review, which was led by former AFL executive Brad Lloyd and experts in women's elite sport. The scope covered everything from culture and leadership to high performance and list strategy.
The key decisions announced by Richmond include:
- Developing a new AFLW Performance Strategy aimed at closing the competitive gap and consistently reaching finals.
- Restructuring high-performance and medical functions for better alignment and accountability.
- Increasing investment in leadership training for the player leadership group.
- Redefining list build principles to match the future game model.
- Appointing a full-time AFLW Operations and Scheduling Manager.
Critically, the club will now create a new position of General Manager of Women's Football, who will report directly to the CEO.
"We are absolutely committed to delivering a successful AFLW program and this review was an important part of that," Dunne asserted. "We have now established a clear direction, and we look forward to the work ahead."
Since entering the AFLW competition in 2020, Richmond has failed to win a premiership and has only made the finals on two occasions. The club is now under immense pressure to turn its women's program around and convert its substantial resources into on-field success.
