Of the current coaches these would be my rankings based on in-game tactics and the ability to get the most out of the playing list given to them last season...
1) Neil Craig (Started with an ordinary list and made them a very good list. Ideal in-game tactics on most occassions)
2) Paul Roos (Reads the game perfectly and knows the strengths and weaknesses of his players and accentuates the positives)
3) Terry Wallace (Dodgy list, great in-game tactical moves and fought way above their weight)
4) Rodney Eade (Setting a new standard for the fast running game and transforming an inconsistent rabble)
5) John Worsfold (Best list in the league but still had to get them to the Grand Final Somehow.)
6) Kevin Sheedy (Worst list at Essendon in a long while yet still managed to find top new players in Stanton, Bradley, Welsh, Lovett, Lovett-Murray and Laycock. Should've finished lower than they did.)
7) Mark Thompson (Had a good list and underachieved. In game coaching was generally good but not anywhere near the level of the season previous. Injuries didn't help.)
8) Leigh Matthews (Debuted a lot of kids and gelled them with the experience fairly successfully.)
9) Mick Malthouse (Played a lot of kids and did the best he could've given his forward line disappeared and the list wasn't that great to begin with. Developed his young kids well, but still plays favourites a lot.)
10) Dean Laidley (Won the close ones with a very bad list. Gotta give him credit for winning but seems a little emotionally fragile.)
11) Mark Williams (Gave up on finals too early. Bad list and didn't really get the most out of his team. In-Game he reacts when the horse has bolted often.)
12) Grant Thomas (Second best list in the league, did nothing with it. Poor in game structure. Mentally fragile. Told his players to go get another job.)
13) Dennis Pagan (His tactics never change which is both a good and bad thing. Requires a specific type of footballer which Carlton probably lacks. Blooded a lot of kids that show promise.)
14) Allistair Clarkson (Bad list and brutal to watch tactics makes you question how long Clarkson will last.)
15) Neale Daniher (Has done nothing with a resonably talented list. No definable style of game-plan. Team seems mentally weak and unresponsive to Daniher's instruction.)
16) Chris Connelly (Fremantle has one of the top six lists in the AFL yet it fails with regularity. No control over his playing group. 'Pretty', possession style of play is Connelly's only gear. Shoots his mouth off too much without the ability to back it up.)