Carlton Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Damien Keeping as senior coach of the Club’s inaugural women’s team. 

Carlton was one of eight teams that secured a licence for the inaugural 2017 National Women’s League earlier this month. 

Keeping arrives at the Blues with an impressive list of credentials, including roles as VWFL Women’s Academy Assistant Coach, AFL Vic Metro Youth Girls Senior Assistant Coach, Under 18 Calder Cannons TAC Cup Line Coach, as well as his stint as Head Coach of the Western Bulldogs’ AFL Victoria Exhibition Game against Melbourne earlier this year. 

Keeping said he was honoured to be appointed inaugural coach of the Carlton Football Club women’s team.

“It is a real privilege. To be part of building a team from the ground up at a proud and historic club like Carlton is certainly a real honour,” Keeping said.

“Carlton’s ‘whole-of-club’ approach and the learning environment that was presented certainly made this a very attractive opportunity.

“I am driven by the opportunity to build pathways for female footballers. We want Carlton to be a destination club for girls and women coming through the system and will work to build a team that Carlton members and supporters really relate to.

“There is plenty of work to do over the next few months to build an elite women’s team environment but I am thrilled to be starting this new journey at the Carlton Football Club.”

Women's senior coach Damien Keeping (middle) is unveiled. (Photo: Eugene Hyland/Herald Sun)

CEO Steven Trigg said Keeping was a natural choice for the groundbreaking coaching role. 

“We are delighted to welcome Damien to the Carlton Football Club. His football pedigree meant we collectively felt he was a compelling fit for this role,” Trigg said.

“There is a commitment to a full integration between the Club’s male and female programs and Damien will work hard across the business to further cultivate the look and feel of the women’s program over the next few months in particular.

“Damien will also work closely with the Club’s current men’s coaching panel, including senior coach Brendon Bolton and will report to Head of Football Andrew McKay. He has the full support of everyone here at the Club and we are thrilled he will join the Blues in this pioneering capacity.” 

Keeping will commence his role at the Carlton Football Club in the coming weeks.