Geelong Cats have finalised its 2026 AFLW coaching panel, with two new faces joining as assistant coaches.
Two-time AFLW Premiership assistant coach, Ryan Pendlebury and former Geelong AFL player, Sam Simpson will join the Club, with Elise Coventry also set to continue in her role heading into the new campaign.
The trio will all serve as assistant coaches for Geelong’s AFLW program under new head coach, Mick Stinear after he was announced as the new senior coach in December.
Pendlebury joins the Cats after a successful two years with North Melbourne, where he served as an assistant and midfield coach. Over those two seasons, the Kangaroos went undefeated and claimed back-to-back premierships in 2024 and 2025.
Also proving to be a handy footballer in his own right, Pendlebury won a premiership with GFL side St Mary's in September this year and has also played at VFL level.
A fan favourite of the Club, Sam Simpson returns to Geelong after spending seven years on the Cats’ AFL list between 2017 and 2023.
The son of former Geelong player, Sean Simpson, Sam was selected under the father-son rule in the 2017 draft and went on to make his AFL debut in Round 15 that year.
Across his time with the Cats, Simpson played 25 games at the top level and most notably featured in Geelong’s 2020 Grand Final against Richmond, showing plenty of class as a silky forward who could also play through the midfield.
After finishing up with Geelong at the end of 2023, Simpson headed West and has spent two seasons with Perth in the WAFL.
Elise Coventry will continue in her Assistant Coach role with Geelong’s AFLW program for the fifth year, extending her elite coaching resume with the Cats for another year.
A former player with Geelong’s AFLW and VFLW teams, Coventry turned to coaching after suffering an injury in 2019, going on to be the head coach of the Cats’ VFLW side for two seasons.
Geelong Cats General Manager of AFLW, Dom Condo, said the breadth of experience across the coaching panel will be a key strength in 2026.
“This group brings a really broad mix of experiences across elite premiership environments, player development and an understanding of our Club,” Condo said.
“Ryan’s recent success at AFLW level, Sam’s connection to Geelong and experience across multiple competitions, and Elise’s ongoing contribution to our program gives us a well-rounded coaching group. Combine this with Mick’s leadership, and it provides a strong platform for our AFLW program as we prepare for the 2026 season.”
The Cats’ bolstered their playing list at the end of 2025, securing four new signings including experienced defender Nicola Stevens, Gaelic footballer Emma Murray previous Port Adelaide pair Jasmin Stewart and Alissa Brook.
Geelong Cats are pleased to announce seven Cats have put pen to paper on contract extensions, with Amy McDonald, Georgie Rankin, Chantel Emonson, Kate Kenny, Kate Surman, Alexis Gregor and Emma Kilpatrick recommitting to the Club.
Rankin, Kenny, Gregor, McDonald and Kilpatrick have all signed two-year contract extensions that will see them remain at the Club until at least the end of 2027, while Surman and Emonson have signed on for the 2026 season.
With their coaching panel now locked in, Geelong will cast their eyes forward to an exciting 2026 AFLW campaign, with pre-season set to start in May.
