Danielle Laidley pipped for Bulldogs' top AFLW job

Danielle Laidley’s hopes of coaching the Western Bulldogs have been dashed with the announcement of the team’s new AFLW spearhead.

Tamara Hyett will head up the Bulldogs women’s team in 2024. It’s the first time she’ll have led a team in the premier competition.

Hyett, a former professional golfer, previously coached the Sandringham Dragons in the Talent League Girls and was an assistant coach at Melbourne.

Laidley wasn’t the only candidate to miss out. Paul Groves was the team’s first coach and had registered his interest in the job. He led the team to the title in 2018 but quit in 2019.

Laidley, who had previously worked with North Melbourne, had voiced her interest in several coaching jobs.

Laidley revealed she had spoken with North Melbourne, but commitments to filming Stan’s documentary Two Tribes precluded her from doing so.

She also went after a gig at West Coast, which ultimately landed in the hands of Daisy Pearce.

“It’s been a passion of mine and I’ve sort of been ready for about 12 months,” she told SEN late last year.

“And even actually for this AFLW season, I was asked to do a coaching role at one of the Melbourne teams but I couldn’t because I was contracted for the (documentary).

“People have connected the dots, West Coast have got a position available and yes, I want to coach again.”

danielle laidley pipped for bulldogs' top aflw job

Tamara Hyett pictured in 2018.

Hyett’s appointment makes her the fifth female coach of an AFLW team.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tamara to the red, white and blue as our AFLW senior coach,” said Western Bulldogs boss Chris Grant.

“Tamara has a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience, particularly in women’s football, as well as a lived understanding of what it takes to be a professional athlete.

“Leading one of the competition’s best backlines at Melbourne and being involved in a successful AFLW program over a long period puts Tamara in good stead to take this team forward and guide the improvement of a talented bunch of women.

“We can’t wait to see Tamara make this program her own.”

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