An AFL coach who has never played the game?

raffrox

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Sep 4, 2004
Posts
8,460
Likes
4,490
Location
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
#26
John Todd and John Cahill never played AFL football.

John Todd beat Polly Farmer for the Sandover as a 17 year old. I'd consider that as "playing AFL". I think he went ok.

Not to open a can of worms but seriously people are going specify that you have to have played VFL to be a good coach?
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Joined
Nov 29, 2001
Posts
10,993
Likes
2,842
Location
perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
freo
#35
John Todd beat Polly Farmer for the Sandover as a 17 year old. I'd consider that as "playing AFL". I think he went ok.

Not to open a can of worms but seriously people are going specify that you have to have played VFL to be a good coach?
fair enough, i was probably answering the question (OP) a tad pedanticly. :thumbsu:
 

*Paul*

Club Legend
Joined
Nov 8, 2000
Posts
1,220
Likes
335
Location
Canberra
Other Teams
Canberra Raiders
#36
Happens all the time in other sports.
I don't know for sure, but it's possible Alan Jones, not only didn't play rugby league at any level, but had no involvement in the game right up until he was appointed coach of Balmain in 1990. Unsurprisingly, not a success.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

RUNVS

Hall of Famer
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Posts
32,983
Likes
29,258
Location
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
#37
This is something I have never understood either. You do not get race car drivers to design cars, you do not get actors to write scripts so why is it that great players are given such a leg up in becoming senior coaches. Playing the game really well and understanding/adapting to the tactics of the game (as well as managing a list) are two completely different things so to me a great player is probably no more suited to be a coach than any other person with a reasonable understanding of the game.
 

Shoei

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Posts
8,314
Likes
6,471
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Arsenal
#38
Woulda, coulda, shoulda... But didn't.

He sucked ok.
700+ games Coached
6 WAFL premierships from 7 Grand finals
Coached the Eagles to finals in his first season incharge
Inducted into the AFL and Western Australian Hall of Fame as a Coach

Yeah sucked real bad.
 

Herne Hill Hammer

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Posts
17,693
Likes
12,350
Location
Cowes
AFL Club
Geelong
#40
probably don't see it in our game because the media and the players themselves won't allow. Not all, but I reckon most wouldn't have the mentality or maturity to accept someone who hasn't, 'been there and done that'.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Posts
25,234
Likes
22,277
Location
Leafy eastern suburbs
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Cartagena C.F., NYJ, A's
Moderator #41
Happens all the time in other sports. Dont know why theres still the idea that you must have played the game to be a good coach/manager at it.

Tottenham's and Fulham's managers in the English Premier league , Avram Grant and Andre Villas-boas, never played professionally.

1994 World cup winning manager with Brazil ,CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA, never played professionally.

“I never realised that in order to become a jockey you have to have been a horse first.”

I don't think Jose Mourinho played top flight football either, but I could be wrong.
 

TBoyleSuperstar

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Posts
15,283
Likes
11,318
Location
Gippsland, Victoria
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Liverpool, Nashville predators
#43
This is something I have never understood either. You do not get race car drivers to design cars, you do not get actors to write scripts so why is it that great players are given such a leg up in becoming senior coaches. Playing the game really well and understanding/adapting to the tactics of the game (as well as managing a list) are two completely different things so to me a great player is probably no more suited to be a coach than any other person with a reasonable understanding of the game.
I guess this is why not all players go in to coaching. Also, some actors do eventually go behind the camera and direct, produce etc films.

Some players have a strong affinity with the game and have a strong understanding of it, and this is why they will be better placed to coach.
 

CF

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
May 11, 2006
Posts
16,609
Likes
4,001
Location
On the Outer
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Chicago Bulls, Aussie Swim Team,
#44
If we can include assistant coaches currently Geelong have Dale Amos who never played AFL football and made his name in the South Barwon league where he won three flags with the swans as a player, then coached them to 3 flags. Became our VFL coach initially but when Sando left he stepped into the assistant coaches role for the AFL team and hasn't looked back.
 

RUNVS

Hall of Famer
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Posts
32,983
Likes
29,258
Location
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
#45
I guess this is why not all players go in to coaching. Also, some actors do eventually go behind the camera and direct, produce etc films.

Some players have a strong affinity with the game and have a strong understanding of it, and this is why they will be better placed to coach.

But why do I get the feeling that coaches like Voss, Hird and Buckley all got their jobs because they were great players and loved by their respective clubs and no other reason.
 

TBoyleSuperstar

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Posts
15,283
Likes
11,318
Location
Gippsland, Victoria
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Liverpool, Nashville predators
#46
But why do I get the feeling that coaches like Voss, Hird and Buckley all got their jobs because they were great players and loved by their respective clubs and no other reason.
All were very very good leaders of their clubs, all very good football minds, all did a lot of coaching and instructing out on the field. We also don't see what they are like behind closed doors.
 

RUNVS

Hall of Famer
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Posts
32,983
Likes
29,258
Location
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
#47
All were very very good leaders of their clubs, all very good football minds, all did a lot of coaching and instructing out on the field. We also don't see what they are like behind closed doors.

Both Voss and Hird spent no time as an assistant coach before being appointed senior coach and Buckley was only an assistant for a few years and was arguably promoted before he was ready.
 

Herne Hill Hammer

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Posts
17,693
Likes
12,350
Location
Cowes
AFL Club
Geelong
#49
This is something I have never understood either. You do not get race car drivers to design cars, you do not get actors to write scripts so why is it that great players are given such a leg up in becoming senior coaches. Playing the game really well and understanding/adapting to the tactics of the game (as well as managing a list) are two completely different things so to me a great player is probably no more suited to be a coach than any other person with a reasonable understanding of the game.
Sir Jack Brabham won the world F1 title in a Brabham and Affleck and Matt Damon wrote the screenplay for Good Will Hunting and won an Oscar for it.;)
 

Herne Hill Hammer

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Posts
17,693
Likes
12,350
Location
Cowes
AFL Club
Geelong
#50
I think his official title was 'high performance manager'.
Since he was an ex-Shield cricketer too I remember them having him on the cricket broadcast once and they were talking tactics. Ric suggested that in one dayers, if you had a top order batsmen in who was scoring slowly that you should deliberately try not to get him out and also let him have the strike. The other commentators were like, 'WTF :eek:' I thought it was great, logical thinking.
 
Top Bottom