Former Bendigo Thunder player, Pioneers assistance and Collingwood star Emma Grant has been appointed as Richmond's AFLW development coach.
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Grant retired from playing at the end of the 2020 season after four seasons with the club and plans to bring her experience to Tigerland.
"Obviously, the Club is still pretty new in the AFLW, and I have just heard such amazing things about the culture and the buy-in from the players and the staff," Grant said.
"With such a young list and the brand of footy that the Tigers played last year, it is super exciting to be on board."
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The team might be new, but there's plenty of familiar faces to Grant at the club, including former teammates Christina Bernardi, Maddie Shevlin, Iilish Ross, Sarah D'Arcy and Sarah Dargan.
"I want to be there as a friendly face that can answer questions, drawing off some of the experiences I have had as a player in the AFLW system and now as a coach as well," she said.
"As a development coach, hopefully, I can be a mentor for those first and second-year players and help drive some elite standards.
"The mentality for me is to coach players for the future, rather than just the present. It is about helping them grow as a person first and as a player."
In addition to her former teammates, Grant's experience as a Victoria Country U/19s and Pioneers assistant will see her working again with Ingrid Houtsma, Emelia Yassir, Stella Reid and Kodi Jacques.
Grant will be working alongside head coach Ryan Ferguson who will also act as the 32-year-old's mentor.
"I still have so much to learn, and I am really looking forward to continuing to grow as a coach," Grant said.
"I think the AFLW landscape is exciting because it is still so new.
"You do not know where you can go, and you cannot really put a ceiling on anything."
Tigers' head of women's football Kate Sheahan said Grant was a perfect addition to the club.
"Our players will benefit greatly from working with Emma, and we are really delighted also to be able to give her the chance to continue her development as an elite level coach," Sheahan said.\
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