AFLW great turned Channel Seven commentator Kate McCarthy has kicked off a huge debate among footy fans by claiming many women are more deserving coaching candidates than the current crop of men.
The former Brisbane and St Kilda star spoke out as head coaching vacancies remain unfilled at Carlton and Essendon, with a range of candidates – all of them men – in the hunt for the jobs.
‘Why are the best coaches in the AFLW, and even assistant coaches, never in this conversation?’ McCarthy asked on Seven’s The Agenda Setters on Wednesday night.
‘I think they’re more qualified than most of the [male] assistant coaches who are going for it because they [the AFLW mentors] are senior coaches, to start with, they are leading an under-represented, underfunded program when you compare the two soft caps.
‘They’ve been able to do it in times that are a little more trying sometimes in an AFLW program, so why are they not ready, or why are we not putting their names up in the media to say that they’re ready for this opportunity?
‘They are some of the best of the best. Those winning percentages are all greater than the greatest men’s coach, which is Chris Scott since 2011 at Geelong.
AFLW great turned Channel Seven star Kate McCarthy (pictured) has won plenty of support after calling for the top coaches in the women’s game to be considered for head-coaching positions in the men’s league
McCarthy (pictured playing in the AFL Legends match last year) believes the best footy minds in the women’s game are being unfairly overlooked – and many fans agree
‘Why are we not talking about these people?’
McCarthy’s co-host Mitch Cleary agreed, and asked why women’s coaches don’t even get a look-in when assistant coaching and line coaching jobs – which see a staffer take responsibility for a position group – crop up in the men’s game.
‘They’ve got more experience than line coaches because they’ve been senior players themselves, they’ve been a head coach of a program, so they’ve served their apprenticeship.’
The current list of AFLW head coaches features a mix of men and women, such as Fremantle’s Lisa Webb, the Bulldogs’ Tamara Hyett and West Coast’s Daisy Pearce, who has been backed to coach a men’s team by footy great Patrick Dangerfield.
McCarthy’s comments split footy fans almost down the middle, in something of a surprise given the waves of criticism the women’s game usually attracts online.
‘Well said. People in the comments saying it’s a different game to men’s is such a poor argument. These coaches played men’s football and were able to adapt to coaching women’s. I’m sure they are very capable of switching back to the game they grew up playing,’ one male supporter wrote.
‘It’s not that unreasonable of a take. If you’re successful at the highest level of women’s footy there’s no reason you shouldn’t at the very least get looked at,’ another said.
‘Daisy Pearce men’s head coach (if she wants),’ a third said, referring to the AFLW legend who is now the head coach of the West Coast Eagles’ women’s team.
West Coast Eagles AFLW coach Daisy Pearce (pictured) has previously been backed to coach a men’s team by footy great Patrick Dangerfield
Many fans who disagreed with McCarthy believe the AFLW is far too different from the men’s game for a coaching crossover to work (pictured, North Melbourne players celebrate their grand final win last year)
‘Kate McCarthy asking the question that NOBODY at AFL clubs seems to be asking. Three senior vacancies across the competition and not one AFLW head coach in the conversation,’ added another.
‘One of the best takes on an AFL subject I’ve heard. Never ever crossed my mind until listening to that. Makes a lot of sense,’ commented another fan.
Many fans on the other side of the argument claimed the men’s and women’s games are too far apart for a head-coaching crossover.
‘I’m not sexist. But AFLW and AFL are a lot different. There are only a few teams that prioritise AFLW facilities. But in the AFL all 18 teams have all been competitive (minus West Coast) for numerous years,’ one said.
‘They don’t even play the same game. AFLW has 16 on the field, can we just differentiate the AFL and AFLW and stop comparing them,’ a second wrote.
‘Should my under 11s cricket coach also be in the running because we were successful? They are completely different games and sports programs,’ a third commented.
‘Can someone just be honest with her??? The AFLW isn’t a real competition. Solid u16s boys team would beat any AFLW team right now… So to answer Kate’s question, the W coaches aren’t being considered because it’s a different game to AFL level,’ another wrote.
Other comments included ‘Is she serious?’; ‘AFLW is like suburban division 3 footy. That’s why’; and ‘Terrible take. The games aren’t similar at all.’
McCarthy has won high praise for her commentary since joining Seven’s footy coverage team in 2024.
She has repeatedly blasted trolls who have abused her online, and her appearance on The Agenda Setters was her debut on the show.
