Geelong has turned to 22-year-old Taylah Hassett to guide the club’s fortunes at VFLW level in 2025.
The Cats unveiled Hassett as the replacement for Elise Coventry, who has stepped down to focus on her role with the club’s AFLW program, on Tuesday.
From Colac Imperials, Hassett spent three years in the Geelong Falcons program.
She joined AFL Barwon club Grovedale in 2022 and, as co-coach, guided the Tigers to their maiden Division 1 premiership this year.
Hassett and colleague Paul Price were named joint coaches of the AFL Barwon Team of the Year and Female Football Coach of the Year at the AFL Barwon Community Awards.
She takes over a team that managed just three wins in 2024 to claim the wooden spoon, and will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak when the new season begins.
“I definitely think building a really positive culture is something I’m big on,” Hassett said.
“And I think that really facilitates growth as a team and enables people to work together.
“Coming into a new program, I’m really keen to put my mark on it in terms of creating that culture in the playing group and, hopefully, our on-field performance goes from there.”
Hassett is Geelong’s fourth VFLW coach, following Coventry, Andrew Bruce, and Paul Hood.
“We are thrilled to welcome Taylah to the Club as our new VFLW Senior Coach,” assistant football boss Brett Johnson said.
“Taylah has an impressive resume as a player and coach; she is a young emerging leader in the community, and we believe her connection to AFL Barwon and the development pathways in the greater Geelong and Colac areas will be of great benefit to our program.”
X: @krockfootball
