Essendon sacks AFLW coach Natalie Wood after one-win season

Consensus Summary

Essendon Football Club announced the sacking of AFLW coach Natalie Wood on October 25, 2026, following a decision not to renew her contract beyond the season. The club informed Wood of the decision earlier in the week but delayed notifying players and staff until after Essendon’s five-point loss to Hawthorn in their final regular-season match before the final round. Wood, who has led the Bombers since their inaugural AFLW season in 2022, will remain as coach for the final game against Collingwood on November 1 at Windy Hill before officially departing.

Wood’s tenure began in March 2022, when Essendon entered the AFLW competition, and she guided the team to back-to-back finals appearances in 2023 and 2024. However, the club’s form has declined sharply in recent seasons, with only two wins in their past 20 games and just a single victory in the 2026 campaign. Essendon CEO Tim Roberts framed the decision as necessary for the program’s future, stating the club had ‘fallen short’ of expectations this year despite Wood’s contributions to establishing the team’s culture and standards.

Wood expressed gratitude for her time at Essendon, calling the effort to build the AFLW program ‘enormous’ and acknowledging the support of players, staff, and her family. Roberts praised her integrity, noting her commitment to coaching out the season despite the difficult circumstances. The club has already begun assessing its AFLW program to identify areas for improvement, with a search for a new coach expected to follow Wood’s departure.

While all three outlets agree on the core details of Wood’s sacking and the club’s struggles, ABC provided additional context by detailing match scores and ladder positions, including Hawthorn’s narrow win over Essendon and Carlton’s victory over GWS. The ABC article also highlighted GWS coach Cameron Bernasconi’s contract extension, contrasting with Essendon’s decision. THEWEST and 7NEWS focused more on Wood’s legacy and the immediate aftermath of the sacking, without delving into broader AFLW standings or other teams’ performances.

The only notable contradiction among the sources is the exact score of Hawthorn’s win over Essendon, with ABC specifying 3.7 (25) to 3.2 (20) while THEWEST and 7NEWS simply describe it as a five-point loss. Beyond this, the reporting aligns closely, emphasizing the club’s poor form, Wood’s five-year tenure, and the search for a new coach to rebuild the program. Essendon’s final match against Collingwood will mark the end of an era for Wood, though the club’s long-term prospects remain uncertain.