BREE Brock will remain as Brisbane's head of women's football despite her partner Murray Davis taking up a job as coaching director with Adelaide's men's program.
Davis, who has been an assistant coach within Brisbane's AFL program since 2011, will move to join Matthew Nicks' ranks, but Brock will remain in her role with the Lions' AFLW program, which is pressing to win back-to-back premierships this year.
The couple's son is about to start high school and the family was reluctant to relocate him at a such a key time.
Brock was instrumental in setting up Brisbane's AFLW program, initially helping to grow female football in the northern state through a role at AFL Queensland as the female participation co-ordinator, before moving to the Lions when they were awarded one of eight inaugural AFLW licences.
She can also be credited with bringing Lions head coach Craig Starcevich to women's footy before AFLW began, recruiting him to AFLQ in a high performance and then coaching capacity in anticipation of the AFLW's inauguration.
In Brock's time at Brisbane, its women's program has been a standard-setter. The Lions have played finals in seven of eight seasons to date, and they are one of just two clubs to win multiple premierships since the League began.
Davis will leave Brisbane after 13 seasons as an assistant coach.
He got his chance under Michael Voss in 2011 after coaching the Northern Territory Thunder to a NEAFL premiership and has played an integral role in the Lions' climb to a premiership this year.
Davis started in a development role before spending a decade as the club's defensive coach under Voss, Justin Leppitsch and ultimately Chris Fagan.
He developed a particularly close relationship with Harris Andrews as the current co-captain ascended to become one of the best key defenders in the AFL.
Davis then switched roles with Jed Adcock prior to the 2023 season and has coached its dynamic forward line the past two years.
He was courted by Adelaide 12 months ago and following Saturday's Grand Final win over Sydney, will head to the Crows alongside Nicks.
Brock and Davis won't be the first instance of partners employed by AFL clubs opting to go long-distance in order to further their footy careers. Current Fremantle head coach Lisa Webb spent time apart from husband Marc while she was an assistant in the Dockers' AFLW program and he held the same role with the Western Bulldogs' men's system.
- with Michael Whiting
