I AM glad Lisa Alexander was knocked back from her approaches to coach North Melbourne in the AFL.
No, not because she is a female.
I’ve got no doubt the legendary Australian netball coach can coach, sure.
Her record attests to that.
But if she was to get an interview and get the job as the head coach of an AFL side, that wouldn’t sit right for me.
That would be a slap in the face to the likes of Peta Searle, who has been coaching in the AFL system since 2014 when she was appointed to the role of development coach at St Kilda.
Before that she had been in the coaching setup of TAC Cup (now NAB League) side Western Jets and VFL club Port Melbourne and is now the head coach of St Kilda’s AFLW side.
Searle has done her time in the game.
You don’t see NRL legend Billy Slater in the running for a top job in the AFL system – he did join St Kilda in 2019 in a leadership and development role.
That kind of role could be something Alexander can do within a club, at least initially.
There will be a time when women are going to be head coaches in the AFL.
But the first appointee needs to be the right appointee.
Alexander, I feel, wasn’t it.
