Nick Dal Santo to step down as St Kilda AFLW coach, Herald Sun reports

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St Kilda AFLW coach Nick Dal Santo will step down from his position following an eight-game winless streak to start the 2026 season, the Herald Sun reported. The Saints sit at the bottom of the ladder with a league-worst percentage of 37.2, averaging just 23 points in attack while conceding 62 points per game across their first eight fixtures.

Nick Dal Santo Departs After Winless Run

The 42-year-old former St Kilda great led the club to its maiden finals appearance during the 2025 season, when the team finished with a 7-5 record. However, this season has seen a sharp reversal in form, featuring heavy defeats including a 30-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat where the Saints managed only a single behind.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to my future and whether continuing in this role was the right decision, both for myself and the program, Dal Santo said in a statement published by 7NEWS. Where we’ve been able to take this program is something I’ll always be incredibly proud of. He becomes just the second AFLW coach in competition history to step down mid-season, following Michael Prior’s resignation at West Coast in 2023, as reported by afl.com.au.

Brad Lloyd Leads Independent Review Into Moorabbin

Andrew Bassat announced that the club will initiate a comprehensive independent review into its entire AFLW program, headed by former Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd, as noted by afl.com.au. Lloyd has previously coordinated similar reviews for the AFLW programs at Richmond and Carlton. The review aims to examine every aspect of operations at Moorabbin following a campaign that has left the team as the only winless side in the league.

The Age reported that deeper organizational concerns exist behind the on-field results, with anonymous sources within the club indicating that female players have experienced operational and spatial divisions from the men’s program. The club’s list manager, Darius Wyatt, transitioned from a cricket background in South Australia without prior women’s football experience, mirroring Dal Santo’s initial entry into the coaching ranks as a part-time administrator working full-time hours.

Collingwood Fixture Closes Out Coaching Tenure

St Kilda CEO Carl Dilena thanked Dal Santo and his family for their service over six seasons, acknowledging the immense care and commitment the coach brought to shaping the formative years of the club’s women’s program, according to 7NEWS. The team prepares to face Collingwood on Saturday afternoon in round nine, marking the end of Dal Santo’s tenure before an interim coach takes charge for the final three rounds of the regular season, as outlined by The Age.