HAVING played in two premiership teams with the club, Jac Louttit is embarking on her next challenge with the Bendigo Thunder as she takes over as coach.

Louttit is taking the reins from Luis Alvarez-Harris, who had coached the club since 2018.

For Louttit, taking on the Thunder role in the Central Victorian Women's Football League is the next step in her coaching journey having previously coached the St Francis Falcons under-12s and been involved with the Bendigo Pioneers under-15 girls V/Line Cup program.

"I'm very excited by the opportunity, but probably more excited for the girls to be able to have a female coach," Louttit said at the weekend.

"I've been doing some work with AFL Central Victoria in regards to the lack of female coaches in not just our region, but Victoria in general.

"I think it's important for females to be able to have access to a female coach... only six per cent of all registered coaches across Victoria and Australia are female, so I'm really looking forward to stepping up.

"I won't be looking to change the program up too much, but look to maybe do a bit more football education because a lot of coaching these days is about supporting the whole person, not just their football, to make sure everybody is getting the best out of themselves."

Louttit, 40, is hoping to continue playing next season and extend a career that includes being awarded the best-on-ground medal in the Thunder's Northern Football League Women's grand final win over Diamond Creek in 2017.

As well as the appointment of Louttit - who spent 2018 on Richmond's AFLW list - as coach, the Thunder have also secured a major recruiting coup with forward Bella Ayre returning to the club as an assistant coach.

Ayre previously played with the Thunder before stints in the AFLW with Carlton and Brisbane over three seasons.

"Bella is back in love with football again and is really excited to start her football journey again. She's only 22-years-old, so it's great to have her back," Louttit said.

"She's as fit as I've seen her for a long time and is really keen to share her knowledge of football and I'm really looking forward to playing with her again."

The Thunder finished second in this year's disrupted CVFLW season with a 9-3 record.

ROUND 1:

Strathfieldsaye 12.9 (81) def Kerang 1.3 (9)

Kyneton 8.19 (67) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Golden Square 6.11 (47) def Bendigo Thunder 3.5 (23)

Eaglehawk 5.5 (35) def Kangaroo Flat 4.2 (26)

ROUND 2:

Bendigo Thunder 20.16 (136) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Golden Square 16.14 (110) def Kangaroo Flat 5.4 (34)

Eaglehawk 12.11 (83) def Kerang 3.1 (19)

Strathfieldsaye 4.11 (35) def Kyneton 0.4 (4)

ROUND 3:

Strathfieldsaye 18.26 (134) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Bendigo Thunder 11.16 (82) def Kerang 0.0 (0)

Kangaroo Flat 10.8 (68) def Kyneton 2.6 (18)

Golden Square 10.4 (64) def Eaglehawk 2.4 (16)

ROUND 4:

Kangaroo Flat 20.27 (147) def North Bendigo 0.1 (1)

Golden Square 16.8 (104) def Strathfieldsaye 1.4 (10)

Kyneton 13.9 (87) def Kerang 1.2 (8)

Bendigo Thunder 5.2 (32) def Eaglehawk 2.8 (20)

ROUND 5:

Golden Square 18.26 (134) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Bendigo Thunder 9.5 (59) def Strathfieldsaye 1.3 (9)

Eaglehawk 9.7 (61) def Kyneton 4.5 (29)

Kangaroo Flat 9.7 (61) def Kerang 4.8 (32)

ROUND 6:

Eaglehawk 18.16 (124) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Golden Square 18.16 (124) def Kerang 0.2 (2)

Bendigo Thunder 19.14 (128) def Kyneton 3.1 (19)

Kangaroo Flat 4.2 (26) def Strathfieldsaye 2.4 (16)

ROUND 7:

Kerang 16.14 (110) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Golden Square 13.16 (94) def Kyneton 1.1 (7)

Bendigo Thunder 6.7 (43) def Kangaroo Flat 5.4 (34)

Eaglehawk 6.4 (40) def Strathfieldsaye 5.3 (33)

ROUND 8:

Kyneton 6.15 (51) def North Bendigo 0.2 (2)

Golden Square 10.9 (69) def Bendigo Thunder 3.4 (22)

Kerang 7.8 (50) def Strathfieldsaye 2.3 (15)

Eaglehawk 4.7 (31) def Kangaroo Flat 3.5 (23)

ROUND 9:

Bendigo Thunder 17.19 (121) def North Bendigo 1.0 (6)

Golden Square 5.7 (37) def Kangaroo Flat 0.2 (2)

Eaglehawk 11.3 (69) def Kerang 5.4 (34)

Kyneton 5.6 (36) def Strathfieldsaye 3.6 (24)

ROUND 10:

Golden Square 21.15 (141) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Eaglehawk 13.16 (94) def Kyneton 1.0 (6)

Strathfieldsaye 7.7 (49) def Bendigo Thunder 5.3 (33)

Kerang 5.6 (36) def Kangaroo Flat 5.3 (33)

ROUND 11:

Eaglehawk 20.15 (135) def North Bendigo 0.0 (0)

Golden Square 18.14 (122) def Kerang 0.0 (0)

Bendigo Thunder 19.9 (123) def Kyneton 1.1 (7)

Strathfieldsaye 7.6 (48) def Kangaroo Flat 3.6 (24)

ROUND 12:

Kangaroo Flat 18.22 (130) def North Bendigo 0.4 (4)

Golden Square 13.13 (91) def Strathfieldsaye 1.0 (6)

Kerang 9.16 (70) def Kyneton 2.1 (13)

Bendigo Thunder 7.4 (46) def Eaglehawk 2.1 (13)

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