CARLTON’s one-club approach is set to benefit the VFLW Blues over the second half of their season, according to the team’s Senior Coach in Luke O’Shannessy.

Spending Tuesday alongside AFL Senior Coach David Teague and his program, O’Shannessy believes the learnings are universal and will only improve his side.

“[On Tuesday] I had the opportunity to come in and spend some time with ‘Teaguey‘ and his crew, they’ve been fantastic to open the doors and let me come in.” O’Shannessy said.

“Since starting last year, the Club has had a real one-club mentality and really wanted to integrate both the women’s and the men’s program.

“I started in October of last year and it’s been that way since day dot so it’s been really pleasing.”

With the VFLW Blues’ Round 7 clash with Port Melbourne ahead of them, sharing notes across the men’s and women’s program is set to bolster confidence heading in.

“It also reaffirms some of the things that we’re working on – obviously language can be a little bit different sometimes, but certainly the concepts are there, probably just in greater detail with a smaller margin for error,” he said.

“Certainly a few ideas and concepts to take back with us.”

In his first year at the helm, O’Shannessy is well and truly in the swing of the season after beginning his tenure during Melbourne’s lockdown in October 2020.

O’Shannessy arrived at the Blues from the elite junior football system, having been the coach of the Oakleigh Chargers’ under-18 girls side as well as their under-16 boys side.

“It’s been a lot of work, it’s a lot of new things to get my head around but I think after the summer and the pre-season passed by, we sort of knew how everything was running and everyone was on the same page,” he said.

“From there, it’s just about trying to find the small wins and the areas for improvement that we can get over the next few weeks.”

Following the conclusion of Carlton’s AFLW season at the end of March, O’Shannessy is preparing for an influx of available talent in the second half of the season.

With AFLW-listed Blues’ developing and returning from injury through the VFLW over the opening rounds, O’Shannessy is looking forward to the challenge of integrating the programs.

“It will be a challenge from a management point-of-view, certainly not hard in relation to the quality of people that we’re going to have coming through the doors,” he said.

“Logistically it means the list is going to balloon out a little bit and the competition for spots is going to be a lot more scrutinised.

“The VFLW program exists to develop talent, be that for currently listed players or for those that might find themselves drafted at the end of the year or moving forward.”