Fremantle’s unbeaten AFLW campaign has not gone unrewarded with Trent Cooper named coach of the year by his peers.
The Dockers were denied a shot at premiership glory when the season was abruptly cancelled after week one of finals because of the coronavirus outbreak.
But Cooper’s performance in his second year at the helm was deemed worthy of acknowledgement by the AFL Coaches Association.
Fremantle finished the shortened home-and-away season with a 6-0 record before they recorded a record-breaking 70-point hammering of Gold Coast in a semi-final.
The Dockers would have hosted Melbourne in a preliminary final.
“Whilst it’s disappointing for Trent and his Dockers that they didn’t get to finish the season, their undefeated season and huge semi-final win has resulted in Trent being recognised by his peers and awarded the 2020 AFL Coaches Association AFLW Senior Coach of the Year,” AFLCA chief executive Mark Brayshaw said.
“On behalf of the Association, I congratulate Trent on his teams’ performances and personal achievement in 2020.”
Cooper, who took over at Fremantle from Michelle Cowan at the end of 2018, won the award ahead of Carlton coach Daniel Harford and first-year Collingwood mentor Steve Symonds.