Natalie Wood is the senior coach of Essendon’s AFLW team and the club’s inaugural AFLW coach, appointed ahead of the Bombers’ entry to the competition in 2022. A former star midfielder in the VWFL with Darebin Falcons and Melbourne University, Wood moved into coaching with Geelong where she became AFLW midfield coach and VFLW senior coach, the Cats’ first female full-time coach, before spending two seasons as midfield assistant at the Western Bulldogs.

Since joining Essendon, Wood has established the foundations of the Bombers’ AFLW program and signed a contract extension through to at least the end of 2026. Across her first three seasons she has guided Essendon to a positive win–loss record while also contributing to the club’s broader coaching structure in development roles. A respected educator and communicator, Wood is recognised for her detail, relationships and ability to build high-performance environments for female athletes.