Coaches

 

The coach has taken on a new importance in the last 10 years. As the intensity of competition has grown, so too has the importance of tactics as an attacking weapon. The solo coach of days gone by has been replaced by a panel of experts reporting to a single autonomous expert.

There are training coaches, pre-season coaches, running coaches, physical education coaches, recuperation coaches, mind coaches, set play coaches and psychologists - all backed by legions of statisticians.

But as in any major competitive organisation, it is the head coach who sets the agenda. The head coach decides the style of play, makes the final moves on match day, addresses the team at the breaks, exults in the glory of victory and carries the load when the team loses.

The intensity of the job wears out only but the very good and the desperately passionate. It is rare at AFL level for the senior coach not to be a former player, and a former top player at that.

Strangely however, many of the most successful coaches have been dour performers, known as much for their character and application as for their ability to turn matches. Perhaps it is these men who understand how important it is to apply the same energy to the smallest detail as it is to the grand picture.

Most coaches in senior grade football are non-playing coaches. In the AFL there has not been a playing coach since Malcolm Blight at North Melbourne (for only a short stay) in 1981.

The coach addresses his players before each game, at quarter-time, at half-time and at three-quarter time. If the coach wishes to make team changes or send messages to a player during the play, he does so via an official runner.

The runner is the coach's mouthpiece when play is in progress.

Many teams in the lower grades of football have playing coaches because the side also requires the benefit of their playing skills.

Most coaches have been successful footballers, although many middle-grade players - such as premiership coaches Allan Jeans, Alan Joyce and Tom Hafey - have gone on to be prominent off-field strategists.

The first League coach was John Worrall, who started coaching Carlton in 1902. The longest-serving coach was the late Jock McHale, of Collingwood, who coached 712 games from 1912 to 1949. Next comes Allan Jeans with 575 games (St Kilda, Hawthorn and Richmond).

McHale leads the list with eight premierships. Former Melbourne coach, the late Norm Smith, is next with six.

 

Current AFL Coaches

Neil Craig	Adelaide Crows
Michael Voss	Brisbane Lions
Brett Ratten	Carlton Blues
Michael Malthouse	Collingwood Magpies
Matthew Knights	Essendon Bombers
Mark Harvey	Fremantle Dockers
Mark Thompson	Geelong Cats
Alistair Clarkson	Hawthorn Hawks
Dean Bailey	Melbourne Demons
Dean Laidley	Kangaroos
Mark Williams	Port Adelaide
Terry Wallace	Richmond Tigers
Ross Lyon	St Kilda Saints
Paul Roos	Sydney Swans
John Worsfold	West Coast Eagles
Rodney Eade	Western Bulldogs

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