Richmond has locked in its revamped coaching staff for the 2026 AFLW season.

After the appointments of Jarrad Donders as Head Coach and Brett Gourley as Senior Assistant Coach, the coaching ​panel has been rounded out by Brendan Fevola, Tom Chitsos and Steve Symonds.

Fevola joined the Tigers’ AFLW program last year as Specialists Coach (Forwards), with his role now elevated to Assistant Coach (Forwards). 

The three-time All-Australian will help guide and develop Richmond’s forward line, having become a loved and respected figure amongst the AFLW program.

Chitsos joins the Club as Assistant Coach (Backs). Chitsos was the VFLW Head Coach at Port Melbourne last season, where he led the Borough to a seven-win campaign. 

Prior to becoming the Head Coach, Chitsos served as Port Melbourne’s VFLW Head of Development.

Symonds has stepped into the newly created role of Coach Development & Leadership Excellence Lead. 

Symonds has extensive experience in AFLW, having served as Collingwood’s coach for five seasons from 2020-2023, winning 31 games from the 51 he coached. 

As part of Symonds’ role, he will lead a program focused on opportunities, development and experience for female coaches who will spend time within Richmond’s AFLW inner sanctum.

The appointment of a Development Coach will be announced in the coming weeks.

Richmond Executive General Manager - Women’s Football, Jane Woodlands-Thompson, believes the new coaching staff brings great excitement to the Swinburne Centre.

“After a thorough and detailed process, we are delighted to have our coaches confirmed for the upcoming season,” Woodlands-Thompson said.

“Jarrad and Brett have already made a strong impact in their short time at Richmond, and the additions of Brendan, Tom and Steve will only elevate our entire AFLW program.

“Each coach brings their own unique strengths, and when working together, create a coaching team that will help maximise the performance and development of our playing group.” 

Hunter Rubino has also joined the Club as its new AFLW Physical Performance Manager. 

Rubino joins the Tigers with strong experience in the football high performance industry, having previously worked at the AFL for more than three years as the Victorian Talent High Performance Lead and the Victorian Metro State League U16 High Performance Manager and U18 Assistant High Performance Manager.

Prior to his roles at the AFL, Rubino spent four years with Carlton’s high performance team, with roles including High Performance Consultant and Sports Science Assistant, while he was also the Calder Cannons’ Regional High Performance Lead from 2022-2023.

“We are thrilled to welcome Hunter to our program and believe his extensive experience and expertise will give us an edge in the high performance space,” Woodlands-Thompson said.

Richmond’s 2026 AFLW coaching panel:

Head Coach: Jarrad Donders
Senior Assistant Coach & Midfield Coach: Brett Gourley
Assistant Coach (Line - Forwards): Brendan Fevola
Assistant Coach (Line - Backs): Tom Chitsos

Physical Performance Manager: Hunter Rubino
Coach Development & Leadership Excellence Lead: Steve Symonds