Krissie Steen departs South Adelaide for GWS Giants

The South Adelaide Football Club wishes to inform its members and supporters that Senior Women's Coach Krissie Steen will be departing the Club to take up an opportunity with GWS Giants AFLW team.

Steen, who led South Adelaide's women to a premiership in their inaugural Statewide Super Women's League campaign, informed the club last week that she had accepted an offer to join the Giants AFLW ranks in 2019.

Panthers Chief Executive Officer, Neill Sharpe thanked Steen for her contribution in establishing the Panthers successful senior women's program and wished her well in her new role with Greater Western Sydney.

"Krissie has made a significant contribution to South Adelaide Football Club in establishing our senior women's program to be the premier program in the SANFL," said Mr Sharpe.

"She will be forever a part of history in coaching the Panthers first senior women's premiership team.

"We understand her decision and the opportunity it provides for her to further develop her coaching in an AFL program and also support her partner Courtney Gum."

Steen expressed that her decision to leave South Adelaide was not an easy one.

"South is an amazing club and what we created with the senior women's program was very special," said Ms Steen.

"I am truly saddened to leave South Adelaide. I had hoped I could simultaneously retain my position in Noarlunga, but due to the timing of the SANFLW and AFLW seasons it is not possible.

"I've loved my time here and will always be a Panther at heart.

"However, with my aspirations to be a full-time coach, the opportunity at GWS and to work alongside Alan McConnell was too good to pass.

"I sincerely hope to remain involved with the future development of the female football program at South Adelaide in some capacity. This is something the club and I are exploring.

"I'm really looking forward to my next challenge, but thank the board, sponsors, members and supporters of the club for the opportunity to represent our fantastic club in 2018."

In her sole season mentoring the Panthers inaugural senior women's campaign, Steen steered South to a nine win, one loss record during the minor rounds, before leading them to a historic Grand Final victory over Norwood on Anzac Day.

South Adelaide will begin the search for a new Senior Women's Coach in the near future.