GLENN Strachan's first year as a senior coach was a significant learning experience, but one he thoroughly enjoyed.

Appointed earlier in the year, the former Northern Blues player took on the role of Senior Coach for the VFLW team, marking his debut in the top job in conjunction with his AFLW assistant coaching role.

Despite not making the finals, Strachan saw considerable development and strong connections form within the new VFLW side, many of whom were unfamiliar with each other before the season.

“It was so much fun,” Strachan said. 

“I had a brilliant group of girls. They were all really keen to learn, they came in from lots of different places, lots of different leagues, and they came together really well.”

The coaching panel had a wider focus than strictly on-field results this year, recognising that implementing the game plan, structures and cohesion with a brand-new side would take time.

Fortunately for Strachan, his AFLW Senior Coach Mathew Buck was deeply involved in the process, aiming to integrate the two programs as efficiently as possible.

“Their connection as a group was awesome. There was a real thirst to improve and get better and we saw a lot of that throughout the year. 

“It didn’t always translate into wins but we were really impressed as a whole coaching group, from 'Bucky' down, with what we saw and the improvement we saw.”

On the decision to integrate the two groups, Strachan admitted that it provided more opportunities for both programs to train and play the system they had developed. 

With AFLW players featuring on game day and VFLW players training during the day, the two groups were able to sync up and create a more cohesive unit on the field. 

“‘Bucky’ and I worked really closely the whole year – I was really lucky to have him to lean on and also a lot of the decisions we made together,” he said. 

“Almost everyone had an opportunity to play and definitely all had an opportunity to train with the AFLW girls and the VFLW girls. We saw some AFLW players play in the early rounds and then saw quite a few play in the later rounds.

"We saw some really good improvement from both listed and VFLW players, that was pleasing.”

The implementation of the system was one of the most positive signs that Strachan saw within the group, developing immensely from Round 1 to Round 14. 

For next year, the VFLW Senior Coach hopes that will solidify and the connection between the group will be even stronger come pre-season in November. 

“The system that they were able to play, it’s pretty telling from where we started back in November to where we got to in Round 14. The compliance to the system we were going through was unbelievable,” he said. 

“What I am most proud of but also am most looking forward to is seeing where this group can get to.

“When we can come back and build on what we’ve built as a group, that’s going to be the exciting part. 

“I’m already excited to see when they come back and what that looks like, I can’t see any of them drifting off, I think they’re all super keen to keep getting better.”