Outgoing GWS Giants AFLW coach Alan McConnell reflects on his time as senior coach

The Giants and McConnell agreed to mutually part ways in March from the club's AFLW head coaching role after serving as coach since 2018. He has been the longest-serving employee of the club and has worked at Sydney Olympic Park since 2009.

Originally from Terang and starting his football journey at Kolora, the former defender later played for Footscray before coaching Fitzroy for 11 games in 1995 and 1995 and finally with the Giants as coach.

The 65-year-old addressed the crowd at the Gabrielle Trainor Medal and said it was a vital time for the club's AFLW program as the competition continues to expand, and was supportive of a change of voice.

"Change is good when it's really well managed and at this point in time it's an important time for the competition but more importantly this team in this competition," he said.

"I'll be watching very closely with both passion and great interest as to how that change is managed. There's lots of opportunities and bumps in the road, but if we don't get it right it can cause problems.

"Being a coach requires a lot of interaction with a wide range of people and the consequence of that is whether you like it or not, you develop relationships with people. The relationship between a coach and his players evolves, it can change from one day to the next."

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He added while he was "sad and frustrated" he wasn't able to deliver the ultimate reward for the club, it was a time of reflection and celebration.

"One of the things that's only dawned on me in the last few months, as a young boy I grew up with no female role models in my life," he said. "As a young country boy I aspired to be like all these male people in my life and someday look like.

"But for everyone in this room that are putting yourself out there to do what you do, because of the prominence of this competition you're becoming role models not just for young women, but young men.

"You should be immensely proud of that."

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