Tara Murray
Shannon McFerran began her football life in the western suburbs and she returns to her roots after being named Keilor’s new women’s coach.
One of the top women’s footballers the country has ever had, McFerran turned her focus to coaching once she finished her playing career.
She’s spent the last five years as an AFLW assistant coach, while juggling being Carlton’s VFLW coach for the past three years.
She said with two young boys, it was about finding the balance with football and family life, which she thinks she can achieve at the Essendon District Football League club.
“I’m looking forward to it, it should be good,” she said.
“I know that they’re a really good club and the opportunity kind of came up and it was kind of too good not to take part in it.
“Just pretty much with work and everything like that… I was looking forward to a fresh sort of start at grassroots level again and getting back into that should be good.”
McFerran, who is completing the level three AFL coach accreditation, has heard a lot of good things about Keilor.
Former Blues coach Emma Kerry has been part of the Carlton VFLW coaching panel, while Sarah and Gemma Wright both made the transition from Keilor to Carlton’s VFLW before being drafted.
“The club itself has a great culture and reputation of a really good female program, which is always really exciting and in juniors as well,” McFerran said.
“I think that’s always important to have a pathway there so they can stay at the one club and start from such a young age and journey the way through, so that for me is a huge part of my decision, seeing them develop all the way through.”
McFerran said there was a fair bit of unknown still about when they would get started and how things would look with COVID-19.
She was hopeful of being able to have some training sessions before Christmas. The Blues finished runners-up in premier division in 2019.
“It’s always unknown territory when you head into a new position, but I think the club and previous coach have really kind of worked hard at keeping a good relationship with all the players and hopefully we can hit the ground running.
“I’m really excited and keen to get the ball rolling.”
Having been involved with football most of her life, McFerran said it was exciting how far female football had developed since she started.
“I always talk about my junior days at St Albans and I loved growing up in the western suburbs of Melbourne,” she said.
“The opportunity now is greater than when I was their age. I think the growth has been huge and it’s through the hard work of people at local clubs running those programs and maintaining them that is integral to the growth.
“We see some really good AFLW players come out of those clubs which has been great.”
