The Carlton Football Club is delighted to announce new appointments to its AFLW coaching group and Head of AFLW, ahead of the 2023 AFLW season.

The new appointments will join AFLW Senior Coach Mathew Buck, each playing a pivotal role in driving consistency in the team's on-field performance, while continuing to develop and foster their elite skills.

Off-field they will provide leadership, strong support and an environment that centres around high performance.

Ash Naulty – Head of AFLW  

After initially stepping into the interim role in February and steering the program through the recent Sign and Trade period and draft, Ash Naulty has been officially appointed as Head of AFLW.

Naulty has sound football operations experience, having steered the Club’s VFL program in recent years, and will lead the major functions of the AFLW program in season eight, sitting on both the AFLW and AFL Executive groups to ensure a strong alignment between both football programs.

Naulty’s immediate focus will be facilitating the AFLW pre-season, along with forging a stronger alignment between the AFLW and VFLW programs. 

Tom Couch - Head of Development/Midfield

Tom Couch joins the Blues with 15 years of experience working within high-performance sports. Couch has held various roles in football, including at the elite level as a player for the Melbourne Football Club, premiership Senior Coach of the North Launceston Football Club, and an assistant strength and conditioning coach at both the Richmond and Collingwood Football Clubs.

Couch then joined the international tennis tour working as High-Performance Manager, mostly with women to ensure they were physically and mentally prepared for all four Grand Slams.  

Couch has worked with many notable clients including former world number ones Ash Barty and Dylan Alcott, as well as Danielle Collins, improving their nutritional and strength and conditioning plans as well as their pre-game preparation: his well-rounded experience in elite sport will add great values to Carlton.

Glenn Strachan - Senior Assistant/Backline

The Club is also delighted to announce Glenn Strachan will be joining the AFLW coaching team. Strachan is a familiar face at the Carlton Football Club, having been part of the VFL playing group from 2015 to 2020 including two seasons as vice captain. 

After an illustrious VFL career, also previously playing for Collingwood VFL and more recently the Northern Bullants’ VFL side, Strachan moved into education work as the Head of Sport at Doncaster Secondary College and more recently in learning support at Aquinas College.  

Christina Polatajko - Assistant coach/Forward line

Christina Polatajko joins the Carlton Football Club, after working full-time as the Head Coach of the AFL/W program at Diamond Valley College as well as the assistant coach at the Calder Cannons for their Under 18’s girls' program.  

Polatjko is no stranger to the world of AFLW, previously working with the St Kilda AFLW side as development coach and Hawthorn’s VFLW side as the Assistant Coach (Backline), who finished second in the 2022 VFLW competition.  

Lachlan Swaney - Development coach

Lachlan Swaney, a graduate of the Sydney Swans Academy, joined the Carlton VFL squad in 2021 and has been a highly respected member of the squad ever since. He was appointed as the co-vice captain in 2023 and has shown a high level of maturity within the role with his leadership and culture building attributes an integral part of the VFL side.

Swaney has a strong understanding of Carlton’s game style and system to support the development of players and will bring a wealth of knowledge to the AFLW program.

Aasta O’Connor - Development coach

Aasta O’Connor remains at Carlton as a development coach after joining in season seven. Originally part of the Western Bulldogs’ AFLW side where she was a premiership player, she previously played for the Darebin Falcons where she won four premierships.

The first-hand experience O’Connor brings as a retired premiership player as well as her previous coaching roles for PEGS Senior Girls side and assistant coach for the St Bernards A Grade Men’s side is an incredible asset to the Club and enhances the high-performing nature of the AFLW program.

Carlton Head of Football Brad Lloyd said the Club was pleased with the new, high calibre of staff brought into the AFLW program.

“Each new appointment brings forth unique experiences and knowledge that will be instrumental in bringing to life a high-performing and elite AFLW side,” Lloyd said.

“We are continually improving our program and giving our players every opportunity we can to succeed.

“Mathew Buck and Ash Naulty have brought in coaches that each have a passion for and proven success in growing women’s sport and driving continuous growth and development while upholding high standards within a team.

“Attracting coaches with these skillsets and experience to our AFLW football program is a significant step forward and we look forward to seeing their relationships with the playing group flourish over the pre-season.”

Carlton AFLW 2023 coaching panel:

Mathew Buck – Senior Coach  

Glenn Strachan - Senior Assistant/Backline

Tom Couch - Head of Development/Midfield

Christina Polatjko - Assistant coach/Forward line

Lachlan Swaney - Development coach

Aasta O’Connor - Development coach