“If that opportunity came up I would certainly have a chat.”
Daniel Harford, the former Carlton AFLW coach, has confirmed he wants to “have another crack” at coaching and would “certainly have a chat” with Hawthorn as they look for a new senior coach.
The Hawks are one of four AFLW clubs looking for new coaches ahead of the 2024 season, with Collingwood, West Coast, and the Western Bulldogs also looking to restructure their coaching staffs.
Hawthorn’s premiership-winning coach Bec Goddard resigned this week, forcing the Waverley club to find a new coach after Goddard’s two-year stint.
Following disappointing seasons, Michael Prior and Steve Symonds left the Eagles and Magpies, respectively, this off-season, while Nathan Burke was fired by the Bulldogs after a one-win 2023 season.
With four clubs looking for new coaches, Harford has thrown his hat into the ring a year after leaving the Blues.
“I’d be keen to get back and have another crack,” Harford said during Fox Footy’s AFLW Finals pre-game show.
“Sitting back and watching from afar this season, you sit back and learn, and you think about things you’ve done and what you might do differently next time.”
“I remember talking with (former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach) Terry Wallace, who’s coached a lot of games in the AFL in the men’s system, and he says your’second tour of duty is always better than your first.'”
“There’s plenty of examples of that in all levels of footy in the last 20 years, so I’d be keen to have a crack.”
Harford left the Blues after finishing 14th in season seven of the AFLW, leaving Princes Park after an extensive review of the club’s women’s program.
The former Hawthorn and Carlton player could be a leading candidate for his other ex-club, with the Hawks considering Harford as a replacement for Goddard.
Harford stated that he would welcome the opportunity to speak with the club that helped launch his football career.
“Hawthorn is my football home, so if that opportunity came up I would certainly have a chat to the Hawks about that,” he said.
“My family is a Hawthorn fan. Everything I’ve accomplished in my professional career has stemmed from my time at Hawthorn.
“It’d be nice to go back and [coach] if that was a possibility.”
Between 2019 and 2022, Harford led the Blues to 22 wins, 21 losses, and two draws in 45 games.
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