Former Geelong midfielder Dan Lowther will take over as senior coach of the Cats’ AFLW side, the club has announced.
The 44-year-old takes the reins after Geelong’s inaugural AFLW coach Paul Hood resigned from the role at the end of the 2021 season.
Lowther played 34 AFL games for Geelong from 1996 to 2001, before rejoining the club as its assistant VFL coach from 2015 to 2018.
He then worked as an AFL analyst before joining the Geelong AFLW coaching group as assistant coach in 2021, working with the midfield group under Hood’s leadership.
Lowther returned to full-time primary school teaching in 2021, alongside his role as AFLW assistant coach.
“For me when we start our pre-season it will be about making a few structural changes and subtle differences to allow us to compete in games for longer,” Lowther said.
“I’ll bring energy and enthusiasm, one of my strengths is working with people and relationships. Knowing the group for 12 months already is going to kick-start that aspect.
“Knowing the girls’ strengths and weaknesses already, we will hit the ground running in the areas we need to improve on.”
Geelong’s head of AFLW Brett Johnson described Lowther as the “right person” to lead the AFLW side in its next chapter on-field.
He said Lowther would embrace opportunities to promote the program and the role it plays in “shaping positive outcomes in the community” too.
“Dan brings a diverse set of skills and experience to the role including a masters of education, 15 years of teaching experience, coaching in the talent pathway and various roles at the Cats across both women’s and men’s programs.”
Lowther will take up the role on Thursday.
