Port Adelaide AFLW senior coach Glenn Strachan has reflected on his first season in charge, describing 2026 as a successful year of growth for the program despite narrowly missing out on a finals berth. 

Following significant changes to the playing group and coaching staff, Strachan believes the group has built a strong foundation to take into next season, with consistency, game plan evolution, and further development key focuses heading into 2027. 

Strachan also discussed the club's list management priorities, Lauren Young’s future, and his plans for the pre-season. 

Strachan on reviewing the 2026 season 

“What a journey! It seems like a long time ago that we got started, but also not that long ago as well. I've been using my baby daughter as a metric of how old she is versus how long I've been here. We've achieved so much in eight months, and the growth that we've seen from the program has been significant. We had so much change with staff and players, so I’m really proud of where we've gotten to now. I wish we were playing finals. I think we're all wishing that we were in the top eight teams, but I'm also very aware of what we've done as a collective. I’m really proud of everyone’s efforts.” 

“I think this season has been a success in terms of how much change we've gone through, and we’ve still been able to play some really good footy throughout the year. We weren't consistent enough; we're not hiding from that. But I just think what we've been able to do with so much change has been a real positive. I think other programs in a similar boat would say the same. When you have a whole new game plan to try and implement, and then only get 12 opportunities, plus some trial games, to try and embed it, it's a challenge. But I'm confident that we will walk away thinking it's been a successful year.” 

Strachan on the team's hopes to make finals in 2027 

“I don't think that we're far off (finals football) in terms of our best footy. That's what I'm really confident in. When we're at our best, I think that we can match it with great teams. We just need to find ways to harness that, and I think I've spoken this year around needing to be more consistent. I think for us that's our reality. If we can play our best footy consistently, then I know that that's going to stack up.” 

Strachan on what he's learned during his first year as a senior coach 

“It's busy! I love the work, but I just love the people more. Giving everybody as much time as I can without tipping over the edge and being here every minute of every day is something that I’ll reflect on and think about. Something that I'm proud of is the way that we connect as a program and the culture we’ve built. It's busy, but at the same time, I've loved every minute of it and I can't wait for more.” 

“I've had great support this year. I'm confident in that, and I think what I know the most now is that great people make a great program. So, when you can have great people in your program, sometimes they do the work of three or four people if you get the right ones in, and I feel really confident that Dan Merrett (Head of AFLW) and the whole club have done a great job. Ben Rutten (GM of Football), obviously coming in this year too, has done a great job in supporting this program. They've both done a great job of bringing in good people for our program, so I think that's what we can hang our hat on at the end of this year from a program point of view. And I also know that's what's going to drive us forward next year too.” 

Strachan on list management 

“I think we're balancing both our youth and our experience. Obviously, with Justine Mules-Robinson and Kirsty Lamb retiring, we've been a young group anyway, so we're probably looking at how we balance both of those things positionally. We’ve got a focus around getting some more support for Matilda in the ruck space. Grace Parsons came on this year, and she had a great year. She played four games very much as a developing young ruck, and we probably just need some more support for those players. And a couple of others, with Indy's (Tahau) injury, that plays a part in that. She missed most of the year as a key target, and we probably need to bolster that a little bit. I'm just all in on let's bring the best talent in that we can and go from there.” 

Strachan on Lauren Young's future 

“I'm hopeful that Lauren will stay in the program regardless of what else happens. We're having great conversations with her and her management group, and the club's right behind our vision for her, and the fact that we want her to be here, and hopefully she does too. I'm pretty confident that regardless of what happens (in the trade period), that she hopefully ends up here and plays great footy for us for a long time.” 

“I don't know when it'll get done. Our list managers handle that, so I have no idea about that sort of stuff. My vision around it is that hopefully we've created an environment that she wants to be at, and then she'll commit to it. I’m not too fussed with timelines, and if it gets done soon, great.” 

Strachan on his pre-season preparation plans 

“I can't wait to get after our education and our fundamental development, which you get more time in the early pre-season period before you get to the official pre-season. I can't wait to be able to work with our players more one-on-one or in small groups and work on things like disposal efficiency and decision-making and all the things that are difficult to do when you're in season.” 

Strachan on his message for the group heading into the off-season 

“We spoke about big rocks and little rocks, so things that are going to impact our program significantly, and that'll be how they go away and prepare themselves for when we return. And then we also spoke about there's small things that pop up that can influence you in both a good way and also maybe not so good if you let it. We're pretty confident if we get the big rocks right, then when we come back, we'll be in a great place.” 

Strachan on plans to evolve the game style 

“It will be a bit of both, evolution and stability in the game style. I feel like we're strong in what we want to achieve and how we want to do it, but I think naturally the game evolves every year, so you have to tweak it at times. You look at clubs like Geelong that have made significant inroads in one year. I think that we want to emulate that as much as we can. We're enjoying what we do, we think we're heading in the right direction, but naturally you see what the best clubs can do, and you try and find ways to adapt that as much as you can.” 

Strachan on improving his side's start to the season 

“I think a strong off-season goes a fair way. I think if you can get your off-season right, you can come back fit and ready, then that gives you a great platform to jump on. I'm confident from how we've spoken to all of our players this week that they're eager and keen to get into it. I know they'll have a little bit of downtime now, but obviously getting further towards Christmas, they'll get back into the swing of things, and hopefully we return and are ready to go.”

Strachan on appointing a new captain following the retirement of Justine Mules-Robinson 

“I think our whole group's young, so it'll be somebody young! I'm just excited for the opportunity that it presents for whoever gets that job in the end. And I think we've had some great growth in our leaders this year. Justine did a great job for the group, and I can't wait to see who takes that role, and how they take it on. But I also know that we're looking at leadership depth. The more people that we can get leading in the right ways, the better.” 

Strachan on the upcoming trade period 

“It's hard for me to comment because we've only just wrapped up our season and looked at 2026 rather than 2027 at this stage. I know that our club and our list management team have a really clear vision, and they'll try and make all that vision come to light. I think we're just really clear on what we need to get after as an entire program. The nature of sport is that people come and go from your program, but I know that both of those two people (Julia Teakle and Piper Window) are fantastic people and good players. If they end up in our program next year or somewhere else, I know they'll play good footy.”