Richmond shouldn’t fall for media intimidation

Brendan Fevola of Carlton comforts Ben Cousins of Richmond as Cousins hobbles from the field during the AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG.

The tail is again attempting to wag the dog at Richmond. Fresh from the Terry Wallace saga – where members of the playing group were alleged to have approached the head coach and asked him to resign – another group are now meddling in club affairs, the media.

In what has been widely described as an “orchestrated campaign”, former Tiger star and Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy last week announced he’ll put himself in the running for the vacant head coach position.

Club legend Kevin Bartlett, through his popular morning show on radio station SEN and in television interviews, has come out backing Sheedy.

Other Tiger legends such as Tom Hafey and Francis Bourke have been named as supporters of the push.

Journalist Patrick Smith wrote a lengthy article in The Australian joining the chorus.

There are a few factors that influence Sheedy’s credentials. He’s 61 at a time when there has been a notable shift towards younger coaches. Yet he’s also the man who took Essendon to 19 finals series and four premierships.

Deciding whether or not he’s the right man for the job is a delicate question.

But, at the end of the day, it’s a question that should be answered by the club and its in-depth process. It certainly shouldn’t be answered by a media-driven campaign.

That seems to be what the Sheedy camp are banking on – that, just like they did with Ben Cousins late last year, the Tiger faithful will all band together in support of their man and put insurmountable pressure on the club’s hierarchy.

The Richmond board (who are elected by the supporters, it must be remembered) shouldn’t have a bar of it.

Some of the best coaches in the game today slipped under the noses of the media. Some were even chosen ahead of past legends at those clubs.

Last year’s premiership coach Alastair Clarkson was chosen over a field that included ex-Hawthorn players because he was the clear standout during the selection process. Few people outside the club saw the choice coming.

The coach of this year’s ladder leaders St Kilda, Ross Lyon, similarly came out of nowhere to land his job. His competitors in the final phase of selection were all more well-known than him. Few people outside the club saw the choice coming.

Even the man chosen to replace Sheedy at Essendon, Matthew Knights, has been outperforming his expectations with the young Bombers list. Again, few people outside the club saw the choice coming.

Perhaps the best piece of evidence in support of having a thorough process comes from Richmond itself. The club has conceded there was little process involved in the hiring of Terry Wallace, he just appeared to be the best available coach.

Given how that turned out, it is imperative the Tigers find the right candidate.

If after all the interviews and input from experts, Kevin Sheedy is the right man for the job, then great – Kevin Sheedy should appointed coach of Richmond.

If there’s any influence beyond that process, through the media or otherwise, then it’s going to restrict the club from acting in its own best interests.

And if that happens, we can expect more of the same at Punt Rd.