Richmond is delighted to confirm it has appointed reigning Coates Talent League and U/18s Girls National Championships premiership and title-winning coach, Jarrad Donders as its new AFLW Head Coach.

Donders led the Eastern Ranges U/18 Girls for the past two years, also making the Grand Final in his first year at the helm in 2024.

The 33-year-old had the chance to expand his coaching to the national level last year, with Vic Metro’s National Championships winning team and he was also named as Head Coach of the U/18s National All Stars.

Donders has a teaching background and was an assistant principal before commencing a full-time role with the AFL to lead the Ranges.

The experienced coach had previously held assistant roles with the Ranges U/18s and Vic Metro U/16s boys’ teams. He has also coached AFL Outer East Interleague teams and with Hawthorn’s Next Generation Academy.

Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said that Donders’ breadth of experience, combination of coaching and educational leadership, and deep insight for high performing environments and development made him a clear standout.

“Jarrad stood out following a rigorous process that included multiple stages and input from our AFLW player leaders, Directors, and General Managers of Football, before being endorsed by the Board,” he said.

“Across his career, Jarrad has successfully led multiple elite teams with high-performing systems, achieving significant success and outstanding athlete development outcomes.

“He is highly driven to contribute to our vision for our AFLW team and is committed to helping us achieve long-term success in the competition and to build a world-class program.

“We believe that Jarrad, with his experience and passion, is the ideal coach for us, and we are thrilled to welcome him, along with his wife Caitlin and kids Ky and Ali, to our Club.”