Richmond has parted ways with AFLW coach Ryan Ferguson after a review into the club’s women’s program
Ryan Ferguson addresses the team during the AFLW R12 match between Richmond and Gold Coast at Ikon Park on November 1, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
RICHMOND has parted ways with head coach Ryan Ferguson less than three months after he signed a new contract extension, while women’s footy boss Kate Sheahan has also departed after a horror season that yielded just two wins.
The Tigers launched an external review in October and the findings have led to the departure of Ferguson and a restructure that has seen Sheahan’s role made redundant.
AFL.com.au reported on September 12 that the Tigers had quietly re-signed Ferguson for another season through to the end of the 2026 season, despite his side losing its first four games of the season. That losing streak extended to seven games before they broke the drought with an upset win over Adelaide in round eight.
“We could not ignore our on-field results in 2025. Ultimately this is about building a program that gives our female athletes the best chance of success,” CEO Shane Dunne said in a statement.
“Ultimately the decision was made that we needed a different voice, and we will now commence the search to find the best possible senior coach for our AFLW team.
Kate Sheahan (left) and Emma Grant are seen during a Richmond training session on October 17, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
“As Executive Head of Women’s Football, Kate Sheahan has done a huge amount of work building our AFLW program from the ground up and we thank her for her dedication and commitment.
“It has taken an enormous amount of energy and passion, and Kate has brought that from the moment she walked in the door. We wish her and her family the best for whatever comes next.”
Richmond’s AFLW footy department will be restructured as a result of the review, with key priorities including:
Developing a new performance strategy to identify ‘how [Richmond] will close the gap and consistently compete in finals’
Restructuring the high-performance and medical teams to ‘drive standards and create better alignment and clearer accountabilities’
Increasing investment in leadership training for the player leadership group to ‘more effectively drive agreed values and behaviours’
Redefining recruiting priorities to ‘align with the future game model’
Appointing a full-time AFLW operations and scheduling manager to ‘centralise communications and accountability’
Ferguson, a 47-game player for Melbourne in the 2000s, took on the Richmond AFLW coaching role in November 2020 after stints as a development coach within the club’s AFL and VFL programs.
The Tigers qualified for finals last year, but were soundly beaten by Port Adelaide in November’s elimination final. It was just the second finals series Richmond had reached since joining the League in 2020.
Back in April, Sheahan’s role was changed from Head of Women’s Football to Executive Head of Women’s Football.
Ferguson is the fifth AFLW coach to depart at the end of the 2025 season, with Melbourne, Sydney and Geelong all currently on the hunt for a new coach.
Adelaide this week confirmed Ryan Davis as its new coach following the departure of Matthew Clarke.