After five years with Fremantle, Lisa Webb will step away from her current role as backline coach to re-unite her family in Victoria.
Webb will take up an opportunity with the Western Bulldogs AFLW team as midfield coach, joining her husband Marc at the same club, who is the current midfield coach with the Bulldogs’ men’s side.
It’s the second club where the Webbs will work alongside each other, with Marc also a former AFL assistant coach at Fremantle.
With Marc’s appointment to the Bulldogs in November of last year, the Webb family have been living on opposite sides of the country ever since.
Fremantle’s three-week AFLW stint in Victoria earlier this year was the longest opportunity the Webbs were able to be together, with Lisa also bringing their children Ollie and Leo to the hub.
Prior to her various coaching roles at Fremantle over the past four seasons, Webb played six games in purple in 2018 before choosing to finish her playing career to have her second child.
Webb has held the roles of backline coach and opposition and strategy coach throughout her time at Fremantle and said she has loved the opportunity to develop her skillset.
“I’ve loved working with the coaches, staff and the players at Freo who have all been incredible and have made a real impact on my development as a coach,” Webb said.
“I am all the better for having spent the last five years at Fremantle.
“It was a decision that was best for the family and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to re-unite the family and broaden my coaching development at the Bulldogs.”
Senior Coach Trent Cooper praised Webb’s impact over many years at the Club.
“There would be few people that have had a bigger impact on the Fremantle AFLW program than Lisa,” Cooper said.
“She has coached across a few different roles and lines and every one of those that she has gone to, she has made better.
“Lisa came in as a player in year two and then as we were looking to add to our coaching structure for year three, Lisa was willing to come on as an inexperienced coach, but made a huge impact straight away.”
Fremantle’s Head of Football Operations and Performance Bob Murphy said Webb would be missed by all players and staff.
“Lisa has been an integral part of our Club for many years and has been an extremely well-respected and popular member of both our playing and coaching groups,” Murphy said.
“In particular, Lisa led a strong and formidable backline group in our AFLW side last season.
“She will be missed and while it’s disappointing to lose her, we understand and support her decision to move east to have her family back together once again.”
