Essendon have sacked AFLW coach Natalie Wood with the club deciding not to renew her contract beyond this season.
Wood was told of the decision earlier this week, but players and the rest of the coaching staff weren’t informed until moments after Sunday’s five-point loss to Hawthorn.
The Bombers have won just one match for the season ahead of next week’s final-round clash against fellow cellar dwellers Collingwood.
Wood will remain in charge for that game before officially finishing up.
It brings an end a five-year stint with Wood the Bombers’ inaugural AFLW coach when they entered the competition in 2022.
She led the club to finals in 2023 and 2024, but they have won just two matches from their past 20 dating back to last year.
“Building an AFLW program from the ground up takes an enormous collective effort. I’m proud to have led that work and supported our players to grow as footballers and people,” Wood said.
“It has been a privilege to be Essendon’s inaugural AFLW senior coach.
“Thank you to the players, coaches, staff and supporters who have shared this journey, and to my family for being alongside me through it all.”
Essendon CEO Tim Roberts said it was a “difficult” decision, but added that the Bombers had “fallen short” in 2026.
“Natalie has been part of our AFLW journey from the very beginning, and that will always be an important part of her connection to this club,” he said.
“This was a difficult decision, and we thank her for the role she has played in our history.
“When we entered the competition in 2022, Natalie set the standards and culture of our team, and our back-to-back finals in 2023 and 2024 reflected that work.
“This season has been challenging, and we have fallen short of what we wanted on field. We believe a change is the right step for the next phase of our program.
“Natalie has handled this with real integrity, and her commitment to coaching out the season says a lot about her and how much she cares about the players.
“We thank Natalie for everything she has given the club over five seasons, and we wish her all the best for the next step in her football journey.”
Essendon will finish the season against Collingwood next Sunday at Windy Hill.