ZIELKE BREAKS NEW GROUND AS ASSISTANT COACH

FORMER Lions great Emma Zielke will become the club’s first female coach after being appointed as assistant to head mentor Craig Starcevich for the upcoming AFLW season.

The Lions are set to announce

Zielke as the club’s AFLW backline coach as the players “unofficially” begin their pre-season training.

Zielke retired after captaining the Lions to their first AFLW premiership win this year. She had played 40 games with the club since 2017.

Now the 33-year-old wants to pass on her knowledge and expertise to the next generation of Brisbane talent.

“It was always the plan postplaying career,” Zielke said. “I’m really looking forward to continuing on the journey with the group we have. They have so much more room for growth.

“There were 11 girls in the grand final team who were 25 years old and under so right there they have plenty of room for their development.”

Zielke announced her coaching role at Hastings Deering HQ in Brisbane on Tuesday when the company also renewed its partnership with the club until 2024.