John Worsfold

John Worsfold had an AFL career spanning over 34 years. It began as an 18-year-old when he joined the inaugural West Coast Eagles squad as a player where he played 209 games over 12 seasons. He was the Club Champion in 1988, VFL Team of the Year twice in 1988 and 1990, and twice Best Clubman. John was Captain for 8 years including two Premierships.

John then moved into coaching as an assistant at the Carlton Football Club for two seasons before returning west as the Senior Coach of the West Coast Eagles for 12 years. In this time the Eagles played in two Grand Finals, winning the premiership in 2006. John was awarded the AFLCA Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2011.

Taking a break from coaching in 2014, John was the Chairman of the AFL Coaches Association for two seasons whilst also sitting on the AFL Laws of the Game committee and the AFL Research Committee.

John joined the Adelaide Football Club midway through 2015 to assist after the tragic death of his friend and their Senior Coach, Phil Walsh. In 2016, John then accepted the Senior Coach role at the Essendon Football Club in the midst of a crisis regarding supplements and the World Anti-Doping Association. He coached Essendon for 5 years qualifying for the finals twice.

John was an Ambassador for United Way, WA, for over 10 years, sat on the Board of Trustees for the SAS Resources Trust and has been a Director of registered charity On My Feet for the past 10 years.

He has been the General Manager- People, Culture and Communications at Emeco Group since February 2021.

John is a father of 3 adult children and graduated from Curtin University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.

More about John Worsfold:

A former Australian Rules footballer, John played 24 games for South Fremantle (1986), 209 games for the West Coast Eagles (1987-1998) and 6 games representing Western Australian in the State of Origin.

An original Eagle in 1987, John was at West Coast for 24 of its history as a player, captain and coach and had his immense contribution immortalised with the club champion award renamed the John Worsfold Medal.

John retired from his playing career at the end of the 1998 season and in 2000, and began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Carlton Football Club. In 2002 he was appointed senior coach with the Eagles, taking the club to the finals in his first season and winning the 2006 Grand Final. He demonstrated the capacity to get his team over the line: the Eagles didn’t miss the finals in his first six years at the helm.

As a motivational speaker, John Worsfold demonstrates that same commitment and determination in helping organisations to achieve their goals.