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Who has been the best coach in the AFL in 2016?

24th July, 2016
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Can Luke Beveridge get his Doggies to the finals again? (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
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24th July, 2016
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Every year, there are teams which excel on the back of the mastermind strategies of their head coach.

There are also teams who plummet below where they should be because of poor game-plan and selling of that plan to the players.

So which coaches have excelled in 2016?

5. Brendan Bolton
Bolton was appointed coach of Carlton on the back of them winning the wooden spoon, and has had his team playing exciting footy, which included a four-game win streak early in the season.

Bolton has had the Blues playing at a faster pace, with slick ball movement, despite the lack of depth which his squad has. Time will tell whether he can continue on from his promising start as coach.

4. John Longmire
Longmire has had the Swans as premiership contenders in each year at the helm, and this year is no different. Yes, he has been blessed with stars such as Luke Parker, Lance Franklin, Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy, but he has got the most out of lesser talents such as Callum Sinclair, Dean Towers, Jake Lloyd and Harry Cunningham.

The Swans are never comprehensively beaten, with the only knock on them being their inability to win close games in 2016. They are definitely poised for a run at the flag.

3. Alastair Clarkson
‘Clarko’ has accomplished all a coach could dream of. Four premierships, and a run of finals campaigns since 2008. Coming into 2016, Hawthorn was expected to have a large drop-off, but through the dedication of their coach and on-field leadership, Hawthorn see themselves clearly on top of the ladder, and once again premiership favourites.

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Maybe he would be first on this list if we hadn’t seen him do this each year, and maybe we take his brilliance as a mastermind head coach for granted.

2. Don Pyke
Pyke has come from West Coast into a club still mourning the tragic death of Phil Walsh, and has seen them rise to premiership contention.

After losing Pat Dangerfield in the off-season, many experts questioned whether Adelaide would make the finals, and with a comfortable draw for the remainder of the season, Adelaide will likely finish top two.

Pyke has created a fantastic culture at the Crows, starting with improvements in their defensive game, matching their already potent offensive game. Something special could be brewing at Adelaide.

1. Luke Beveridge
Beveridge has continued on from his terrific debut season in 2015, in which he saw the Dogs finish sixth on the ladder. 2016 has been even more impressive however, due to the Bulldogs ability to withstand injuries to multiple key players.

They have had several important players who have all missed or are going to miss significant time. Despite this, Beveridge has led his team to top four contention, and wins over contenders such as Adelaide, Sydney and West Coast.

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