North Melbourne AFLW star Emma Kearney will take on the role of caretaker senior coach for the club’s VFLW team.
The AFLW premiership player and former captain will take the reins temporarily following the departure of senior coach Brett Gourley, who has accepted an opportunity at another club.
Kearney is no stranger to the coaching ranks, having balanced development coaching duties within the Kangaroos’ AFL men’s program for three seasons while concurrently captaining the AFLW side. She stepped away from the AFL program at the conclusion of last season to prioritise her playing commitments.
Kearney said she was grateful for the opportunity to support the VFLW program during this transition.
“I’m thrilled to be able to coach this terrific bunch of players for a short period,” Kearney told NMFC.com.au.
“They’ve built a really strong foundation and have shown a lot of character on the track lately. My focus is just on coming in and providing some stability so they can continue to play their best football.
“Brett has obviously been a fantastic coach for the last couple of seasons, so they are big shoes to fill. We’ll certainly miss his contribution around the club, but we wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter.”
General manager of women’s football Erin Lorenzini said Kearney was the natural choice to oversee the program in the interim.
“Emma’s football IQ and leadership are well documented, and her previous experience within our AFL development program makes her perfectly suited for this role,” Lorenzini said.
“While we are disappointed to see Brett go, we are pleased that we can look within our own four walls to find a leader like Emma.
“She understands our culture and our standards, which ensures our VFLW players are in great hands while we begin the process of finding a permanent successor.”
Kearney, who re-signed as a player for the 2026 season, will conclude her caretaker duties when the AFLW program begins pre-season training.
The club has commenced a search for a new permanent VFLW senior coach.
