North Melbourne veteran Jack Ziebell is among five additions to the club’s AFLW coaching panel for the upcoming season.

Ziebell has played 274 games and counting since he arrived at Arden St as a first-round selection in 2008 and served as captain for 111 of them from 2017 to 2022. 

He joins the club’s AFLW program as a development coach and will support new head of development Brett Gourley. 

Gourley was an AFLW assistant coach at North Melbourne from 2019-21 and, most recently, at Essendon. A teacher by trade, he has also held assistant and development coaching roles at AFL Victoria and the Calder Cannons.

Also new to the coaching panel in 2023 are Rhys Harwood and Daniel Currie. Harwood moves into the role of senior assistant coach and head of football performance after five years as list and football performance manager, while Currie will oversee the Kangaroos' talls group. 

Currie has a decade of experience in the AFL system as a player, including at North Melbourne from 2013-15, and has most recently coached in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). 

VFLW-listed player Mietta McDonald rounds out the new inclusions, joining as a development coach as part of the club’s newly created AFLW female coach graduate program. 

Senior coach Darren Crocker will enter his fourth season at the helm, while assistant coaches Brad Murphy (midfield) and Sam Wright (forwards), and development coach Noni Taylor will continue in their roles from last season. Nick Devereux has also been promoted from development coach to assistant coach (backline) after impressing in a similar role at VFLW level.

North Melbourne head of women’s football Nathan Hrovat said the club was excited by the mix of coaches appointed to lead the Kangaroos in 2023.

“We are thrilled to welcome five new coaches to our coaching ranks for the upcoming season,” he said. 

“Jack’s wealth of playing and leadership experience will be invaluable to the program, and we are equally excited about the knowledge and perspectives that Brett, Rhys, Daniel and Mietta will bring to the fold too. 

“We are committed to providing the best possible resources and support for our players and look forward to seeing what this coaching panel can help them achieve this season.”

2023 AFLW coaching panel

Senior coach – Darren Crocker

Senior assistant coach and head of football performance – Rhys Harwood

Assistant coach (forwards) – Sam Wright

Assistant coach (defenders) – Nick Devereux 

Assistant coach (midfield) – Brad Murphy

Assistant coach (talls) – Daniel Currie

Head of player development – Brett Gourley

Development coach – Noni Taylor

Development coach – Jack Ziebell

Development coach – Mietta McDonald

Football performance coordinator – Cameron Morris